Russian Forces Step Up Offensive in Ukraine’s Sumy Region

Russian troops have intensified their assaults in the border areas of Ukraine’s Sumy region.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed this information.

According to the military, Russian forces are attempting to break through Ukrainian defenses and establish a buffer zone along the border, advancing toward the settlements of Oleksiivka, Yunakivka, and Yablunivka.

The DeepState reports that Russian forces have captured six settlements in the region so far, including the village of Vodolahy, located approximately 25–30 kilometers from the regional center.

The offensive is accompanied by heavy drone and artillery strikes targeting civilian areas and villages.

On May 31, 2025, Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy regional administration, said in a video statement that 111 residents had been evacuated from 11 border villages in the Sumy district, where mandatory evacuation orders took effect. More than 2,800 people live in these settlements, including 367 children.

President Volodymyr Zelensky separately stated that around 50,000 Russian troops have been deployed near Sumy as part of the new offensive.

According to Ukraine’s military, Russian forces are using assault groups, including airborne and special operations units, to break through defensive lines and push Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region into the Sumy region.

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) note that Russia appears to be trying to create a buffer zone in Sumy to protect its border areas and position artillery within range of the city.

However, ISW assesses that Russian forces currently lack the strength to launch a full-scale assault on Sumy itself.

As the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted, 34 combat clashes took place in the Kursk direction. The enemy executed 14 air strikes, dropping 24 guided aerial bombs, and carried out 245 attacks, nine of which were from multiple rocket launchers.

Despite the pressure, Ukrainian forces continue operations in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions to prevent further incursions across the state border.

Miltarnyi previously reported that Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, stated that Russian troops had effectively launched an offensive on both the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.