Russia’s progress in northeastern Ukraine may propose to create a “buffer zone”

Russian troops earn profits in the Ukrainian northeastern region of Sami – a development that may be related to Moscow’s attempts to create “buffer zones” along the border, Ukrainian regional authorities said.

The head of the region Sumi Oleh Grikharov stated that Russian troops had confiscated four villages, and that the fight was ongoing near other settlements in the area “in order to create a so -called” buffer zone “.

Russia claims to have seized six villages.

Last week, its leader Vladimir Putin announced a plan to create “security zones” at the border. “Enemy shooting points are actively suppressed, work goes,” he said.

The buffer zones will be created to provide “additional support” of the Russian regions that threaten the Kharkiv, Sumi and Chernihiv regions, Putin said.

In a statement on Facebook on Monday, Grikharov himself wrote: “The enemy continues to move to create the so -called” buffer zone “,”, “,”, “”

He added that the villages of Novy, Basiva, Veselka and Zhuravka – all in Sumy – were busy.

Kyiv has not yet officially stated that Russian troops are in the Sumi region, and when he addresses the BBC, Grikharov refused to confirm the information he shared on Monday, saying that only the military could comment on the activity of the frontline.

Daily briefings of the General Staff mentioned only skirmishes and other military events in the “Kursk direction” – that is, on the border with Russia – without calling any specific places.

A Group of the Ukrainian Army, which coordinates military activity in the region, has refused the BBC request for a comment, which indicates that Russia’s promotion in the north is an extremely sensitive problem for the Ukrainian authorities.

However, in his address on Monday night, the President of Ukraine Loladimir Zelensky mentioned the “preparation for new offensives in Russia – which was largely interpreted as a reference to the events in the Sumi region.

Map of Deep State, a group that monitors the latest frontline developments in Ukraine, noted four Ukrainian villages, which are fully controlled by the Russian forces even before the announcement of Gircharov.

The co -founder of the deep state, Roman Poharil, said that Russian troops have been pushing in these areas since March.

Ukrainian military observer Kastianin Moscow confirmed this, although in the last two weeks he noted that Russia’s progress was very slow – about 1 km (0.6 miles). Mr. Michans also said that Moscow recently moved new Donbass units to the Sumi region.

Colonel Vadim Mysnak, a press secretary of the formation of ground forces involved in the defense of the Sumi region, said Russian troops mostly use small groups on motorcycles and gods during the attacks.

The movement of large car br ashes can quickly notice drones and destroyed, explained Kal Misnik. On the battlefield, speed and mobility are crucial.

But the Sumi region is regularly attacked by Russian air strikes and artillery fire, and the regional administration reports that Russia has reduced more than 30 managed bombs on the area since Saturday.

One of the biggest attacks occurred last month when Ballistic missiles hit the town of Sami, killing 34 people. A few weeks later the drones got Intercity Bus that kills nine people.

Russia is aimed at residential buildings, hospitals and civilian vehicles to spread panic among the population, Kol Misnik said. Russia denies that it is aimed at civilians, saying they are aimed at military purposes.

Local authorities say the evacuation takes place in 202 settlements close to the front line, which is a third of all territorial communities in the region.

Serchi Earl, Colonel and Military Expert, agreed that the successes in the Sumi are part of the Moscow plan to create a buffer zone.

The Count said that Russia’s main strategic goal is to admire the Donbass region in the east, where the most intense fights are taking place.

Considering the number of troops they have, Russia “cannot focus on major power to go deep in the north,” the Count claimed.

He called the SUM -regional “distraction zone” – as, by supporting the pressure in the north, Russia makes Ukraine distribute its resources and weaken positions in key areas.

The American Institute for the Study of the Military Analytical Center also reports that any success in SUMY can be used by Putin as leverage and justification for new territorial requirements within the framework of future peace talks.

However, observers agree that the Sumi region has no immediate threat of a serious breakthrough.

Based on the speed of their profits in the region, it is unlikely that in the near future Russian forces can capture such a large city as Sami, which had 250,000 population.

D -pohorily of Deep State said the Ukrainian troops managed to stabilize the front line. “Almost three months have passed as (Russia) started its activity in the Sami region, and yet they are still in the border areas,” he said.

COL MYSNYK claimed that Ukraine has built a defense line along the whole border since 2022, and now they are much better ready to stop Russian forces than at the beginning of the Russian invasion.

But these measures can last a long time when the Kremlin’s priorities change, and Moscow sends great forces to Sami.