The advance of Russian troops in the Sumy region’s border area has been stopped, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have managed to tie down around 50,000 Russian soldiers, according to the Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky.
“The defense of the Sumy region is one of today’s top priorities,” Syrsky wrote on Telegram on Thursday, June 26.
He added that based on the results of fighting in May and June, Russia’s latest “summer offensive” from its own territory is fizzling out, much like its failed 2024 attempt to break through in the Kharkiv region.
“Instead, our earlier decisions are now delivering results. The Russian advance in the Sumy border zone has been stopped as of this week, and the front line has been stabilized,” Syrsky said.
In some areas, Ukrainian units are successfully conducting active defense operations and liberating territory in the Sumy region.
“In the Pivnichnoslobozhanskyi and Kursk sectors, we’ve managed to tie down about 50,000 Russian troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades,” Syrsky said.
He added that Ukrainian operations in Russia’s Glushkovo district in the Kursk region have forced Moscow to redeploy forces to defend its territory, reducing its ability to attack in the Sumy direction.
To bolster regional defenses, Syrsky said a special defense group has been established for the region commanded by Brig. Gen. Oleh Apostol. The priority tasks include strengthening fortifications, expanding engineering barriers, and preparing local communities for potential attacks.
Syrsky conducted a personal inspection of front-line defenses and called for accelerated construction of additional fortifications, anti-drone corridors, and “kill zones” to enhance troop safety and logistics.
“I will return to check progress within the set deadlines,” Syrsky said.
He also awarded top-performing soldiers with Commander-in-Chief’s commendations and thanked all defenders of the Sumy region “for their courage and professionalism – from privates to group commanders.”
The Sumy region was the launch point for Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk region last year. Ukrainian forces held parts of the territory for eight months before being pushed back by Russia’s spring offensive, supported by North Korean troops.
Since then, Moscow has advanced toward the city of Sumy, capturing several villages and prompting the mandatory evacuation of civilians. Once home to 255,000 residents before the 2022 full-scale invasion, the northern Ukrainian city now sits on the edge of renewed fighting.
However, Ukrainian forces have begun to regain ground. On June 14, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian troops had liberated the village of Andriivka, near the border in the Sumy region.
Zelensky reported on a frontline briefing from Syrsky, emphasizing recent military operations.
“Special attention is focused on the Pokrovsk direction and our Sumy region, especially the border areas,” Zelensky said back then. “We are managing to push Russian forces out. I thank all our units for these tangible results.”
Earlier, he had stated that Ukrainian forces had stabilized the Sumy front and halted further Russian advances. He said the most intense fighting was taking place near Andriivka, Kindrativka, Oleksiivka, Kostyantynivka, and Yunakivka.
Since June 8, Russian shelling in the region has intensified. Despite this, Zelensky said Ukrainian defenses are holding and have managed to push back Russian forces slightly.
Military journalist Yuriy Butusov warned that Russian troops are continuing to advance in the region, citing a lack of well-prepared Ukrainian defensive lines.
He said Russian forces may continue their push until they reach dense forests located about 15-20 kilometers (10-12 miles) from Sumy city.
Roman Kostenko, Secretary of Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence, linked the current Russian offensive in Sumy to Ukraine’s earlier withdrawal from its foothold in the Kursk region.