Is Russia preparing a breakthrough through Ukraine's Sumy region? Expert explains
Illustrative photo: An expert assessed whether Russia could start offensive on Sumy (Getty Images)
The Russian army may attempt to replicate the scenario seen in the Vovchansk direction, but this time within the Sumy region, said Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists of Ukraine's Ground Forces, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine's YouTube channel.
According to him, the enemy has lost the element of surprise after advancing several kilometers into the so-called neutral zone between the two armies. In this area, Russian forces are trying to consolidate but often come under fire or are forced to hold static positions. Tymochko suggested a similar situation could unfold in the Sumy region.
At the same time, he emphasized that from a political and informational standpoint, Russia will likely try to inflate the situation by demonstrating brilliant victories in this direction.
"The threat to the city of Sumy cannot be dismissed. The fact is that beyond FPV drones, there is a much broader arsenal of weapons that allows Russia to strike Sumy even at this stage. It's clear that the intensity of strikes could increase if the enemy pushes deeper into Ukrainian territory. The closer the Russian army, and therefore its artillery, gets to the regional center, the greater the risks," Tymochko noted.
He also drew particular attention to Yunakivka - a village Russian forces attempted to seize in a forced march back in 2022. According to him, this settlement lies along a key highway that Russia previously tried to use to break through to Kyiv. He doesn't rule out the possibility that Russia has not abandoned such plans.
However, Tymochko stressed that the situation is no longer what it was in 2022: Ukrainian forces are present in the region and have a sufficient concentration of troops. He called it a misconception to believe that Russia can freely implement its strategic plans without facing substantial Ukrainian resistance.
The expert concluded that there are risks that the enemy will try to break through, and there are signs of that now.
Russian offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv regions
At the end of March, several Western media outlets reported that Russian troops were preparing to launch a new military offensive against Ukraine.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that Russia had actually launched an offensive in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
Recently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the largest and strongest Russian troops are now in the Kursk direction. Their goal is to push Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region and prepare an offensive against the Sumy region.
Read more about the situation in the Sumy region in the material by RBC-Ukraine.
