Russia deploys 50,000 troops around Sumy, threatening new push into Ukraine
After putting an end to Ukraine's surprise counter-invasion of the Kursk region in April, Russia is now eyeing to flood the border with its troops and conquer Sumy, which had served as a main hub for Kyiv's defenses and the assault that had left Moscow humiliated.
'Their main strategy [is to] wear us down with their numbers,' Ukraine's top military commander Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy told the Wall Street Journal.
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5 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, left, is trying to fortify Kyiv's defenses along the Sumy region ahead of a Russian attack.
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/AFP via Getty Images
5 A Ukrainian rescue worker rushes towards the ruins of a building hit by a Russian airstrike in Sumy.
via REUTERS
While Russia's invasion force has mainly focused on the southeast border spanning more than 620 miles, the frontline has grown by more than 100 miles over the last year as Moscow targets Sumy and other regions further north.
After taking back Kursk, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his army would create a 'security buffer zone' along Sumy, the same words he used when mounting his initial invasion force in 2022.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Moscow was planning to form a 6-mile buffer zone, which would leave Russia's 'largest, strongest' troops with a large area for new assault.
The latest push came last week when Russian troops attempted to advance into the region, with Syrskyi touting that a defensive push prevented the 50,000 Moscow fighters from deploying on Thursday.
5 A woman holds the body of a relative killed following a Russian strike in Sumy earlier this month.
AP
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5 Sumy finds itself attacked on a daily basis by Russian troops, with Moscow amassing some 50,000 soldiers along the border.
REUTERS
Ukrainian troops fighting in Sumy, however, know that it's only a matter of time before the Russian troops make their way in due to their sheer numbers and Moscow's meat grinder combat style.
'The enemy is losing 300 to 400 people per day across the region, but they can deal with that level of casualties,' one special forces commander told the WSJ. 'They keep bringing in reserves.'
A platoon commander who spent seven hours fighting Russian soldiers in June recalled how his team was pinned down in the trenches taking on wave after wave of invaders.
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5 Ukraine is attempting to fortify its border in Sumy in preparation for a new Russian push.
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine/AFP via Getty Images
'It was the cruelest fight I've ever been in,' the 25-year-old platoon commander said. 'They were attacking with infantry, drones, grenade launchers, machine guns, artillery, cluster munitions. Everything…We never had more than a five-minute break while they were regrouping.'
The Ukrainian troops have also complained that despite the months-long counter-invasion into Kursk, which had Russia on the back foot, Kyiv's commanders allegedly failed to fortify the Sumy border.
Syrskyi tried to quell the criticisms over the lack of fortification in Sumy, telling reporters Thursday that the area will have proper defenses to halt Moscow's looming attack.
'Additional fortifications, the establishment of 'kill zones', the construction of anti-drone corridors to protect our soldiers and ensure more reliable logistics for our troops are obvious tasks that are being carried out,' he said.
The buildup in Sumy comes as analysts and experts have warned that Moscow is likely preparing for a big push further into Ukraine this summer after months of small advancements along the frontlines.
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