Russia intensifies attacks in northeastern Ukraine: Tensions rise

According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the offensive "has indeed already begun," and Russia is trying to capture territory and create a so-called buffer zone along the borders of the regions to secure its own territory. The strike is concentrated in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, where the intensity of combat operations has significantly increased in recent days.

"For several days, nearly a week now, we have witnessed almost a doubling of enemy offensive actions in all main areas," Syrskyi said in an interview with the LB.ua portal. Russia's goal is not only to control areas of Donbas but also to seize strategic points in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and to create a barrier in the border regions: Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv.

The three cities, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv, were already targets of a failed attack in the early weeks of the 2022 invasion. After the Russians retreated, it was noted that maintaining the defense of Chernihiv and battles near Sumy were key to success in the battle for the Ukrainian capital.

"The goal of Russian actions may be to weaken the morale of Ukrainian society by attacking and bombing civilian rather than military targets. Russia is not seeking victory on the front lines because it cannot break the stalemate in the field. Instead, it seeks diplomatic victory by weakening political factors and forcing Ukrainian society to demand peace at any cost from their authorities," comments Gen. Roman Polko, former commander of the GROM unit.

The general emphasizes that the nature of the fighting on the Ukrainian front has not changed, and a war of attrition is still ongoing. He believes that despite the lack of success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, Ukraine is not losing this war militarily, contrary to some images presented.

"In the Vovchansk direction in the Kharkiv region, Russians are bringing in fresh forces and replacing the personnel on the front line," said the commander of the Forpost brigade, known by the pseudonym "Chornylo," on the My-Ukraine program.

"The enemy is moving more forces toward Sumy. They are bringing in fresh reserves, tightening their equipment, and preparing for radical offensive actions," he added.

Drones are used extensively on the front, including fiber optic ones resistant to interference from electronic defense systems. Ukrainian forces, in turn, are trying to disrupt Russian supplies by conducting diversionary actions behind the front line.

In the area of the Vovchansky Aggregate Plant, intense fighting is taking place. "This is not one building but a network of facilities. Not everything is under our control," pointed out Chornylo.

The Russians are attacking there in small groups, a few people at a time, which, according to the Ukrainian military, makes effective defense difficult.

The Russian offensive is said to be a reaction to earlier Ukrainian actions, including the unexpected incursion of Ukrainian forces into the Kursk region in the summer of 2024. In response, Vladimir Putin announced the creation of a "buffer zone" in the Sumy region, purportedly to protect Russian border areas.

Russia's current actions thus have both tactical and psychological dimensions, as reported in Russian service commentaries.

Simultaneously, Ukraine is preparing for a potential threat from Belarus. Joint Russian-Belarusian military maneuvers "West-2025" are scheduled in the fall.

"Such exercises are an opportunity to regroup forces and create offensive formations," warned Gen. Syrskyi.

According to the UNIAN agency and analyses by the American Institute for the Study of War, Russia is also intensifying actions around Lyman and Borova in the Donetsk region. The aim is to capture more key points that will open the way for further advances in Donbas. CNN emphasizes that the situation on the front is dramatically worsening, and the Ukrainian military reports a real threat of breaking the defense line.