'Kursk operation achieved its goal,' Sumy regional governor Volodymyr Artiukh

— How has the situation in Sumy region changed since the start of the Kursk operation?

— From our side, the operation was offensive, Russia was defending itself. Therefore, when Ukrainian troops entered the Kursk region, the number of Russian attacks increased. The number of artillery systems, machine guns, and small arms decreased because Russian troops were pushed back 20-30 kilometers from the border.

At the same time, the number of Russian air strikes has increased significantly, hundreds of times - 30-40 launches of guided aerial bombs per day. If last year these were isolated cases, now it is happening on a systematic basis. We record attacks on our critical infrastructure facilities and populated areas - private houses or high-rise buildings.

The purpose of these attacks is to demoralize the population, to force them to leave the areas where they live. And to create conditions by destroying life support systems - energy systems, water supply, mobile communications - under which it would be difficult for people to stay here.

— What is the current situation on the frontline territories?

— This year, Russia has destroyed quite a few critical infrastructure facilities, including energy, gas, and water supply. We had to work hard to prepare for the heating season. We would not have succeeded without the help of the central government, as we had to involve seriously powerful organizations and finances to carry out the restoration work.

To date, we have managed to start the heating season on time. To ensure that the population does not feel the consequences of possible Russian attacks on energy system facilities, we have been working to create a powerful fleet of backup power supply facilities. Thanks to our international partners, we were able to supply both critical infrastructure facilities and residential areas. In other words, we were prepared in this regard.

The recent Russian attacks on critical infrastructure facilities both here and across Ukraine show that Russia is using new ways and methods to create conditions in which the population would feel insecure. Russia is trying to intimidate the population and put them in a state of distrust of the Armed Forces, distrust of the authorities, and make people leave.

— Has the number of Russian attacks on Sumy with rockets and Shaheds increased now?

— Sumy has been shelled constantly. Most of all, Russia struck our people with Shahed drones. And the rocket attacks started more this year. And they were not related to the Kursk operation, the main targets (which Russia hit - ed.) were energy and critical infrastructure. They were destroyed by both Shaheds and missiles. If in 2023 three missiles were used, today it is already hundreds of times more. Especially now, Russia must have received a sufficient number of these weapons. There has never been such a large number of precision weapons as in recent weeks.

Photo: RBC-Ukraine

— Given the intensity of the Russian shelling and the proximity to the front, does the region need to strengthen its air defense?

— The Supreme Commander-in-Chief visited and held a meeting here, and these issues were discussed in a very substantive and thorough manner. The President personally set tasks to increase Air Defense Forces and means, which were fulfilled. On the instructions of the President, the number of personnel and the number of air defense means have increased. Over the past 3 months, over Russian 400 Shaheds have been destroyed, while before August, we had destroyed about 120 Shaheds in 7 months.

— What is the situation with the population of the Kursk region?

— The Russians left their civilians to their own devices during the Kursk operation. They surrendered these settlements almost without a fight. There was virtually no resistance from the territorial defense. Of course, the Russian troops resisted, but how did they treat the population? There was no evacuation or assistance. And today these tasks are entrusted to Ukrainian troops.

We also help with humanitarian convoys. We send humanitarian cargo there - bread, water, and other humanitarian aid. There are many elderly people and many children left there. So today this task is also assigned to our region. Together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, we are fulfilling it.

— Is the evacuation of the population in the Sumy region underway?

— During the 3 years of the war, we had 3 waves of evacuation, the last one before the Kursk operation. For each wave, we worked proactively, realizing that Russia was achieving its goal. We knew what was going to happen in these settlements where our troops were entering, and we took appropriate evacuation measures in advance. People already understand this here. If we introduce evacuation, it means there will be danger there. During the Kursk operation, evacuation measures were more intensive. People heard, saw, and felt for themselves how Russians were using weapons and at what targets. The agricultural sector began to be destroyed, as well as border schools.

As of today, almost 40,000 people have been evacuated from the five-kilometer zone. But there is still a lot left. Almost all forced evacuations were aimed at evacuating children and families with children. Today we have evacuated more than 7,000 children. Unfortunately, not all of them decide to evacuate. But still, we have saved 40,000 people. And I am sure that others will also decide in favor of their lives.

— Are there many more people left in the settlements near the border?

— There are many more. If you take all the settlements, it is more than 180 settlements that should be evacuated.

Photo: RBC-Ukraine

— I often hear from people that they do not want to evacuate because they have nowhere to go. How do you persuade those you evacuate from the border in Sumy region?

— There are different approaches. And I took part when I had to convince a person and he or she did not want to leave. We are on the phone with their daughter, who is in Zaporizhzhia. She said: “Mom, you have to leave, we have a place here.”

As for the conditions. We took all the children, social children, as we say, out of the 5-kilometer zone. We received a lot of help from other regions: Rivne, Lviv, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, and Ivano-Frankivsk. That is, we were offered to move people with their families there.

We have prepared places for adults, and we still have them, but not in the number that could satisfy tens of thousands. Take just one city, Hlukhiv, where 30,000 people had to be evacuated. The figures are quite serious to fulfill. For the first time, we have prepared suitable places to accommodate them. But the biggest help comes from relatives and friends, who go to their families.

Then, of course, we have prepared a lot of dormitories, because we have distance learning, and they are free. Businesses are also buying places and creating conditions for people to return there, there are jobs, and houses with heating, and everything is provided free of charge, including food, and these processes are also taking place.

— Were the Russian forces preparing an offensive in the Sumy region? Why was the Kursk operation launched?

— It was a preventive measure and should be considered in the context of the Kharkiv operation. When the Kharkiv operation began, Russia had amassed a lot of troops in the Sumy direction. This was recorded. To prevent Russian troops from entering the Sumy region, the Kursk operation was carried out.

We recorded their deployment, and we knew that Russians had amassed forces that were to enter. So we planned this operation in advance. Russians planned that if the Kharkiv operation went according to their plans, we would be the next to go. But our defenders held their ground and the Russians' plans did not materialize. And Ukrainian Armed Forces took advantage of this to enter the Kursk region.

But it was not so easy to plan, it had to be done for a certain time, and we needed information about the Russian troops, their condition, and where they were. In my opinion, it was a very well-planned operation that achieved its goal, we entered Russia's territory and began to beat Russian troops on their territory. And it was Russia's infrastructure that was being destroyed, not ours. Therefore, from all sides, it was an example of proper combat planning.

— Are there any preparations for the defense of the Sumy region in case the situation in the Kursk region changes in favor of the Russian troops?

— In 2024, the state allocated a large resource to the Sumy region to create fortifications that would significantly increase the region's defense capabilities. And this task of the President has been fulfilled. That is, to date, taking into account possible attacks, including circular defense, these issues have been taken into account when planning the construction of these fortifications.