Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported that Russia is amassing 50,000 troops at the border with Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, aiming to create a 10-kilometre buffer zone. In an announcement on Tuesday, Zelenskyy noted that the Russian military is also concentrating its "best troops" in the neighboring Kursk region, emphasizing that Ukraine has experienced success in countering these efforts.
The intensified military activity in the Sumy region has resulted in Russian forces capturing four villages near the border with Russia. The Sumy regional governor confirmed that residents had been evacuated in advance, asserting that "there is no threat to civilians."
In light of the escalating aggression from Russia, approximately 56,000 civilians have been evacuated from the region, according to Oleh Hryhorov. Kyiv has warned that Russia intends to launch an offensive into the Sumy region as early as 2024; however, this plan has been disrupted by Ukraine's incursions into the Kursk region.
The Ukrainian military has also raised concerns about potential new attacks on Kharkiv, as Russian troops have been observed gathering near the region's border. Zelenskyy remarked that Russia mobilizes approximately 40,000 to 45,000 troops each month, while Ukraine’s forces mobilize around 25,000 to 27,000, indicating a significant imbalance in troop accumulation.
The president expressed that Moscow is intensifying its war efforts despite repeated calls from Kyiv, Brussels, and Washington for an unconditional ceasefire as a path toward peace. “When the U.S. sends signals that it wants to do something positive with Russia, then Russia ramps up its mobilization,” he stated.
Additionally, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported that Russia has already lost nearly 1 million troops in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg confirmed that total casualties on both sides since the onset of the full-scale invasion have surpassed 1 million.
