Operation Cheburechna: How Defense Intelligence Special Forces Foiled Russian Offensive in Sumy Region

A unit of Group 10 of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine’s (DIU) Department of Active Operations carried out a large-scale operation codenamed Cheburechna in the Sumy region, which thwarted the Russian offensive.

The operation was in the works for about a month, which allowed the fighters to prepare thoroughly, according to the DIU.

Over the course of seven weeks of complex combat operations, consisting of two phases, Ukrainian special forces thwarted the enemy’s offensive plans, cleared 642 hectares of forest, and transferred control of the cleared areas to other Defense Forces units.

“We were told roughly what the mission would entail and what we needed to prepare for, and we had already adapted to those conditions… That month gave us more time to prepare in a more specialized, more focused way,” recalls a member of the unit.

The mission unfolded in rugged terrain resembling the Carpathians — steep, forested slopes and ravines. Tasks were carried out sequentially: first, assault teams cleared logistical routes, advanced deep into the forests, set up ambushes, and drove out the invaders.

Due to the nature of the daily capture of invaders, the operation earned its informal name:

“When you take a prisoner, you report, ‘I’ve got one more cheburek.’ That’s where the name comes from — the number of chebureks on this mission,” the special forces soldiers explain.

The soldiers had to operate under extreme conditions: the enemy unleashed massive artillery fire and used drones with incendiary shells, causing everything around them to burn. Despite this, Ukrainian soldiers demonstrated resilience and professionalism.

Thanks to the skillful actions of the reconnaissance troops, the invaders didn’t even realize for a long time that Ukrainian forces were in their rear.

“The enemy still didn’t realize we were there… We carried out active operations, captured a group of enemy soldiers, brought them back to our main forces, and remained on the front line,” the DIU reports.

Thanks to flawless planning and execution of radio deception, the Russians were unable to grasp the extent of their losses for a long time.

“Even by the second stage, when we had finished our mission, we had all withdrawn from the area, but the invaders’ command still believed for another two weeks that those were still their forests and their positions; they were sending them supplies and trying to establish contact,” the soldiers noted.

They managed to completely halt the enemy’s advance in this sector and preserve the logistics routes and positions of the Ukrainian troops. Four Ukrainian fighters were killed during the operation: Yuki, Travka, Soma, and Bas.

Official results of the mission:

• Enemy personnel: 107 invaders killed, 157 wounded, 29 taken prisoner.
• Equipment and infrastructure: 61 UAV launch sites and command posts, 31 artillery systems, 368 vehicles, as well as 630 enemy shelters and fortifications were destroyed.

“The value of these two phases of the operation is truly very high. Thanks to them, our allies have now established defensive lines there and are continuing to hold their ground,” the military concluded.