The main goal of the enemy operation in Kharkiv region is to spreading of chaos and panic in Ukraine, Chief of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine (GUR) Kyrylo Budanov has said, also rejecting statements about the Russian forces' alleged intention to create a "buffer zone" in this way.

"By the way, the main goal of this operation is, in principle, an information operation. In order to create chaos and panic, backing this up with actions, as they say, on the ground. In order to force our groups to retreat in the eastern directions, so that the impression is created that they begin to encircle and cut off. But this is not so. Secondly, to destabilize the situation inside Ukraine. Again, I say: calm down, nothing terrible is happening," he said on the national telethon on Tuesday.

Budanov also commented on the statements of a number of experts that Russia is allegedly trying to create a "buffer zone" in this way.

"All this talk about 'buffer zones' an so on... And where do they [the occupiers] do it? In two separate directions? And between them, what about the 'buffer zone'? And to the right, to the left? This is not a serious conversation," he said.

According to the GUR chief, this is the official position voiced by the Russian leadership "to justify what they will do and to at least somehow explain what they are doing in Kharkiv region."

"We supposedly want to protect Belgorod, for this we will create a 'buffer zone'. In fact, they went in two separate directions. There is no continuous strip. And in principle, so far, we do not see that this can be realistically done. And that did not help much to the city of Belgorod," he said.

Budanov also noted that the resources of Russians in Kharkiv region are quite limited, and further they will have to use reserves.

"These are quite limited resources. But they have not yet thrown absolutely all their forces into battle. I think that in the coming days they will already use everything that they have. Let's just say that everything that they had in the border area has already been used. After that they will need to bring in their reserves," he said.

Answering the question when the enemy might begin to retreat, the head of the GUR said that for this the enemy "has to be knocked out, it will not leave on his own."

"The fighting will continue, and the fighting will not be easy. However, once again: this situation is not currently catastrophic. There is no need to panic," he said.