The situation in Sumy Region remains stable: the enemy has been somewhat halted, and Ukrainian forces are holding them at a distance
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported this during a recent briefing on June 13, where he provided detailed information about the current state of the front and the peculiarities of the confrontation along different sectors. According to the head of state, fighting continues along the northeastern border of the country in the Sumy district, particularly in the North Sloboda zone, which he refers to as the Sumy direction. He stated that Ukrainian troops have halted the Russian advance and have not allowed it to penetrate deeper than 7 kilometers from the border. This suggests that active hostilities are ongoing along the border, but the enemy has suffered a significant loss of initiative. “We are leveling the situation in this sector, and it is important to understand that there, in the northeast, the enemy has built a significant defensive capability — around 53,000 Russian military personnel. Battles are taking place along the entire perimeter of the border, and Ukrainian defenders are doing their maximum to hold their positions,” Zelenskyy assured. He emphasized that Ukrainian defenders have prevented the Russians from penetrating further, and active fighting is occurring along the entire perimeter, ensuring the safety of settlements and delaying Russian advances. In addition to the situation on the northern borders, the President informed about the situation in the Luhansk direction. According to him, Ukrainian forces have eliminated a potential threat and halted the Russian pressure in this sector. However, on a smaller but strategically important front — the Kostiantynivka sector — intense fighting continues. Zelenskyy noted that initially, the Russians had an advantage in numbers and tactical positioning, but Ukrainian troops managed to regain control and are advancing along the highway, which opens additional opportunities to reduce enemy activity and establish additional stabilization corridors. Regarding Dnipropetrovsk region, the situation remains tense, but Ukrainian defenders continue to hold the enemy back. Zelenskyy stated that there is currently direct movement towards the region, but there are no active hostilities on this front. “The situation there is more controlled than in other sectors, but the main goal of the enemy now is to create an informational background — to achieve a so-called ‘PR victory,’ to show any activity to the world, in order to create the illusion of success or to increase panic among the population,” the President explained. The illusion of progress seems important for the Russians, as they are deploying small sabotage and reconnaissance groups (SRGs) with the aim of conducting attacks or minimizing losses at their strongholds. Additionally, Zelenskyy clarified that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups are actively operating toward the administrative borders of Dnipropetrovsk region, attempting to produce audio and video materials that would purportedly confirm their progress in advancing. “We are fully aware of this enemy tactic and are keeping the situation under control. Ukrainian defense forces will not allow the enemy to create disinformation backgrounds or proceed with provocations,” the head of state emphasized. Thus, Ukrainian troops currently maintain control over strategically important sectors, actively resist, and contain Russian aggressors while also defending against enemy informational strikes and provocations. The continental situation remains tense but shows a noticeable breakthrough toward stabilization and strengthening of Ukraine’s position. Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the society to maintain trust in the military and government, as, in his words, coordinated and carefully planned defense is crucial to stopping the enemy and achieving long-awaited victory.