Kremlin: "Significant" Progress in Establishing Ukraine Security Zone

The Kremlin, through its spokesman Dmitry Peskov, affirmed that the process of establishing the "security zone" that Moscow seeks to create within Ukrainian territory is proceeding smoothly and achieving what he described as "significant" battlefield progress. Peskov clarified that this zone is under construction and being established systematically, emphasizing that Russian forces are achieving important results in their field advances. He added that no one should doubt that this zone will be created to the extent necessary to ensure Russia's security. He further indicated that Russian forces continue their advance in combat areas, noting that the Konstantinovka axis constitutes a critically important defensive line, representing a crucial step towards controlling the "fortified area" located between the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. The spokesman stated that the Russian army is making systematic progress on the ground amid a continuous deterioration in the situation of Ukrainian forces, affirming that ongoing military operations are yielding tangible results. Peskov accused Ukrainian forces of intensifying their attacks on civilian infrastructure within Russian territory, pointing out that these attacks, which he described as terrorist in nature, come in the context of Kyiv's deteriorating position on the front lines. In a related context, Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously stated that the expansion of this "security zone" would be linked to the scale of threats and attacks directed against Russian civilian targets. Additionally, the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, had noted on July 3 that the Russian army had "fully liberated Konstantinovka," a development that Putin considered significant and paving the way for further advances in broader areas of the Donetsk region.