Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had advanced in the northern Sumy region, where Russian troops have been attempting for months to gain a foothold. In his nightly address, Zelenskiy cited top commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, who confirmed progress near the state border.
The president emphasized that Russian forces have suffered heavy casualties in Donetsk and Kharkiv, where intense battles continue along the 1,000-kilometer frontline. Despite Moscow’s claims of gains in central Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian commanders report successful defensive and offensive operations across key regions.
Since earlier this year, Russia has sought to establish a “buffer zone” in Sumy after forcing Ukrainian troops out of Russia’s Kursk region. Frequent shelling of towns, including the city of Sumy, underscores ongoing threats to civilians. However, Zelenskiy stressed that Ukrainian forces are holding ground and repelling Russian assaults, particularly around Kupiansk in northeast Kharkiv and Dobropillia near Pokrovsk in Donetsk.
Moscow has annexed parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, but not Dnipropetrovsk, where it claims to have captured several villages near its border. The Russia-appointed head of occupied Donetsk, Denis Pushilin, said Russian forces are pressing forward with a pincer movement near Pokrovsk.
Meanwhile, violence continues in Kherson. Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported that two people were killed in shelling and drone attacks across different areas.
The war in Ukraine remains fluid, with Russia advancing slowly across eastern territories and Kyiv highlighting successful countermeasures. Zelenskiy’s update reinforces Ukraine’s determination to defend its land while inflicting significant losses on Moscow’s troops.