Zelenskiy says Ukrainian troops pushing back Russians

13/6/2025 6:29

Ukraine's President Volodymyr

Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces were gradually

pushing Russian forces out of the border Sumy region, where

Moscow has established a foothold in recent weeks.



Russian forces have been moving into Sumy region since April

when Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin called for the creation of a

buffer zone after he said all Ukrainian troops had been evicted

from a months-long incursion into Russia's western Kursk region.



Both Russian and Ukrainian reports indicate that Russian

forces have seized a series of villages in the region, which has

for many months also come under heavy Russian air attacks. And

Russian reports said Moscow's troops were advancing in the area.



"Our units in Sumy region are gradually pushing back the

occupiers," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "I

thank you! Thanks to every soldier, sergeant and officer for

this result."



The Ukrainian president provided no further details and

offered no proof of Ukrainian advances in the area.



Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said there

had been a concentration of Russian men and equipment in Sumy

region because of months of military operations across the

border in Kursk region. He advised caution to establish details

of the situation on the ground.



"I think (Ukraine's) military has the situation under

control and I think we shall see a different picture in the

coming days," Podolyak told Ukrainian TV Channel 24.



The popular Ukrainian military blog DeepState, which charts

the position of Russian troops using open-source materials,

reported Russian gains in recent days around villages inside the

border.



Other Ukrainian bloggers said on Thursday that Russian

forces had advanced to within 20 km (12 miles) of the city of

Sumy and were likely to move southward on villages to secure

high ground outside the city.



Russian media reported similar advances through the region.

One military site "Voyennoe Obozrenie" said Russian forces had

made "significant progress" and were now positioned south of a

major highway.