Ukraine faces escalating Russian offensive in Sumy region
Russian forces have reportedly advanced 6-7 kilometers into Ukraine's Sumy region, breaching a 15-kilometer-wide section of the border, according to reports shared by Ukrainian officials.
Ivan Shevtsov, the serviceman from the Ukrainian "Steel Cord" unit, confirmed these Russian maneuvers during a national news broadcast.
Shevtsov described the situation as "unstable" as Russian military continues shelling of Sumy and nearby areas. He emphasized that evacuation operations are underway for ten villages near combat lines, dismissing reports of 200 evacuation sites as misinformation.
Speaking about the strategic importance of Yunakivka, Shevtsov remarked, “If we're discussing territory presently occupied by the enemy, it's approximately 15 km across and 6-7 km deep. Control of Yunakivka is strategically significant for them.”
The Ukrainian military official also addressed queries about Russia's intentions for Sumy, clarifying that Russia's goal is not merely creating a 20-30 km buffer zone. “Their aim is full control over both Sumy and Kharkiv, and other eastern regions,” he stated.
DeepState's analyst maps illustrate these battlefield delineations as of June 1, following accounts from military command and intelligence reports. North of Sumy, Russian forces have occupied 121.57 square kilometers, encompassing borderland villages from Kostiantnivka to Novenke and Basivka. Northward, a penetration extends to Loknia, just 2-3 km from Yunakivka, with another outreach visible to the northeast around Miroplia (3.11 sq km), showing a doubling in occupied territory in just days – from 65 sq km on May 23 to 124.68 sq km by June 1. This accounts for under 0.4% of the nearly 29,000-square-kilometer Sumy region.
A recent report published by Ukraine’s General Staff mentioned 16 Russian incursions toward Kursk direction, though no confirmations were provided for Loknia or Yunakivka.
On May 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a 50,000-strong Russian force amassing along the Sumy border in preparation for the proposed "buffer zone". He reiterated that Ukrainian defense near Pokrovsk and Kostiantnivka hampers Moscow's attempts to redirect their forces across other front lines.