Zelenskyy: Russia amassing over 50,000 troops on Sumy front

Russian forces are continuing their offensive operations along the front lines and are currently amassing more than 50,000 troops on the Sumy front, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated.

Source: Interfax-Ukraine, citing Zelenskyy in a comment to journalists

Quote: "Right now, they are amassing troops on the Sumy front. Over 50,000. We are aware. But we are also seeing some successes there. For example, today (27 May), eight enemy soldiers were taken prisoner near Tyotkino [a settlement in Russia’s Kursk Oblast – ed.]."

Details: The president added that Russian forces are also carrying out sabotage operations in Sumy Oblast, to which Ukraine’s Armed Forces are responding.

Quote: "Regarding the Sumy front, their strongest and most concentrated forces are currently positioned in the Kursk area. Their goal is to push our troops out of there and prepare for offensive actions in Sumy Oblast – to create what they call a 10-km-deep buffer zone inside Ukraine. I believe they understand they lack the capacity to achieve this."

Details: Zelenskyy also believes that Russian troops will attempt to cross into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and aim to capture the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

The president noted that Ukrainian forces faced difficulties near Pokrovsk, specifically in the village of Kostiantynivka, but reported successful combat in that area. He said that Ukrainian defence forces have pushed the Russians back by 4 km on that section over the past two days (as of 27 May).

Zelenskyy added that the Russians cannot fully withdraw their forces from the Pokrovsk front, just as they cannot transfer all their troops there to capture Pokrovsk.

Speaking about Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Zelenskyy stated that Ukrainian forces "withdrew from one area and entered another area in Kursk Oblast".

Quote: "There are also a few fantasists among them – the ones still talking about a Kherson offensive across the river. But clearly, those saying that – and I’m not sure they’re sober – are Russians who don’t care how many people will die. Crossing the river in Kherson right now is absolutely impossible."

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!