Zelensky warns of Russian military buildup near Sumy
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a potential Russian military buildup targeting the northeastern city of Sumy. Speaking to journalists in Kyiv on Tuesday, May 27, Zelensky revealed that Russia is amassing troops near the Sumy, with more than 50,000 troops stationed in the region. The president confirmed that Russia intends to establish a so-called 10-kilometer "buffer zone" in the area, equating this potential move to the occupation of more Ukrainian land. According to Zelensky, while Russia conducts frequent activities, they have yet to execute a significant operation there.
Zelensky also pointed out that Russia’s largest force concentration is along the Kursk direction. He highlighted recent Ukrainian military successes, including the capture of eight Russian soldiers near Tyotkino. "Our troops made strategic advancements in the Kursk region," Zelensky stated, noting that Ukraine continues its operations until Russia agrees to either end the conflict or initiate a ceasefire.
Simultaneously, Russia is applying pressure on other parts of Ukraine, Zelensky added. “They’re doing everything to cross the administrative borderline of the Dnipropetrovsk region, but haven't succeeded yet. Their goal to capture Pokrovsk remains unmet,” he explained, adding that Luhansk and Donetsk regions are Russia’s unchanged strategic targets since 2014.
Zelensky also referenced active combat in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson directions, stating, “They haven’t altered their goals. Some within Russia speculate about an offensive operation over the Kherson river, but any right-minded person knows it’s impossible under current conditions.”
On a broader scale, the Ukrainian General Staff documented 216 Russian offensives on May 27, mostly concentrated along Pokrovsk. Meanwhile, in a separate development, Pavel Zolotarev, head of Glushkovsky district in Russia’s Kursk region, appealed to President Vladimir Putin to annex Ukraine's Sumy region during a meeting. "Sumy should be ours," Zolotarev purportedly urged Putin during the session, held on May 21.
The city of Sumy, located roughly 30 kilometers from the Russian border, continues facing periodic shelling. Despite ongoing security threats, DeepState data confirms that no territories in Sumy region fall under Russian occupation, following Moscow’s withdrawal in March 2022 after its failed Kyiv assault.