Putin wants to install "sanitary zones" in Ukraine to protect against Western weapons - ISW

According to analysts, this goal is unattainable, as long as Ukraine remains independent and has at least some opportunities for resistance, since Putin will claim any territory in the demilitarized zone.

Russian President Volodymyr Putin again mentioned the idea of ​​creating a "sanitary zone" in Ukraine, which, according to analysts of the "Institute of War Study", is consistent with the recent call of the deputy chairman of the Russian Council of Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev before the full liquidation of Ukrainian statehood. This was reported in the ISW summary of March 18.

On March 18, at a press conference, he answered the media as a question of whether Russia needs to occupy the Kharkiv region to protect the Belgorod region. Putin stated that he did not exclude the idea of ​​creating a demilitarized "sanitary zone" in the territories controlled by Ukraine. He called a separate question how deep such a demilitarized zone should be, but did not mention what territories of Russia it is necessary to occupy and when.

But at the same time, the Russian Federation may need a "sanitary zone", which Ukraine will be difficult to "overcome" with the help of weapons of Western production. He still spoke of areas that would not allow Ukraine to strike on the Russian Federation. According to analysts, this goal is unattainable, as long as Ukraine remains independent and has at least some opportunities for resistance, since Putin will claim any territory in the demilitarized zone.