4 settlements alongside the border of Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast have come beneath Russian management, regional Governor Oleh Hryhorov reported on Could 26.
Sumy Oblast, which borders Russia to the north, has been a repeated goal of Russian incursions and shelling for the reason that begin of the full-scale invasion in 2022. The area has not too long ago seen renewed hostilities as Russian forces ramp up exercise alongside the northeastern border.
Russian forces management the border villages of Novenke, Zhuravka, Veselivka, and Basivka, Hryhorov introduced on Could 26.
"Residents of those villages had been evacuated way back, and there’s no risk to civilians," he mentioned.
The now-occupied villages had been beforehand thought-about a part of the "grey zone," areas with contested or unclear army management.
In accordance with Hryhorov, Russia is continuous makes an attempt to advance in Sumy Oblast "to create a so-called 'buffer zone.'" Combating stays ongoing close to the communities of Vodolahy, Yunakivka, and Khotin.
"The Ukrainian Protection Forces and all parts of the protection forces are preserving the state of affairs beneath management, inflicting precision fireplace on the enemy," Hryhorov mentioned. "Our defenders are resolutely repelling the enemy's assaults and stopping them from advancing deeper into Sumy Oblast."
Lower than per week earlier, Hryhorov introduced that round 56,000 civilians had been evacuated from the area amid escalating Russian aggression. Together with each day assaults, Russia has been deploying assault teams to Sumy Oblast all through spring 2025 in makes an attempt to develop the entrance line.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Could 22 that Moscow is already working to determine a "safety buffer zone" alongside the border with Ukraine, together with close to Sumy Oblast.
Ukrainian intelligence studies present point out that Russia is planning new offensive operations, even because it pays lip service to the peace course of, President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Could 26.
The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta