RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE Russia set on creating ‘buffer zone’ in Ukraine – Putin The Russian military has been tasked with creating a “security buffer zone” along the border with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday. The president made the remarks during a government meeting dedicated to the situation in Russia’s border regions, including Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk. Additional measures to support their residents were also discussed. “It has been decided to create the necessary security buffer zone along the border. Our armed forces are actively solving this task now. The enemy’s firing positions are suppressed, the work is going…

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE Putin visits Kursk region for first time since ejecting Ukrainian forces Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the western Kursk region for the first time since Russian forces ejected Ukrainian troops from the area last month. The Kremlin said that during the visit on Tuesday Putin met volunteer organisations in the region and visited the Kursk-II nuclear power plant. State television showed Putin meeting volunteers and local officials in the region including acting governor Alexander Khinshtein. Putin was accompanied by Sergei Kiriyenko, Kremlin first deputy chief of staff. Russia said in late April that it had ejected Ukrainian troops…