Russia is not going to stop. Russian Ministry of Defense named the tasks of the "SVO" for 2026
The main task for the Russian army next year will be "to maintain and increase the pace of the offensive in the zone of the special military operation," said Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov.
Destroyed houses during a Russian attack in Kyiv, September 28, 2025. Photo: AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky
"The key task for next year is to maintain and increase the achieved pace of the offensive," Belousov said at an expanded meeting of the ministry's board on December 17.
At the same meeting, Vladimir Putin stated that if Ukraine refuses to talk "substantively," Russia will forcibly achieve the liberation of "its historical lands."
"The task of creating and expanding a buffer security zone will also be consistently resolved," he said.
"The goals of the 'SVO' will undoubtedly be achieved, and Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical territories," he asserts.