Russia attempts to expand "control zones" in Sumy and Kharkiv regions

Viktor Trehubov, spokesman for the Joint Forces Command communications management, stated this during a broadcast on the Kyiv24 television channel.

"The Russians have a plan regarding both Sumy region and Kharkiv region to create a control zone along the border, extending 5 or more kilometers deep. They want to push the Ukrainian border further into Ukrainian territory. They're essentially probing us, searching for weak points in our defenses. They're attempting to attack border settlements. In particular, in the Sumy region they succeeded in Hrabovske. But this is a settlement located directly on the border, and they've penetrated about a kilometer from the border," Trehubov explained.

According to him, similar actions are being observed near Sotnytskyi Kozachok in the Kharkiv region. Meanwhile, in the Velykoprylutske direction in 2025, the Russian army has managed to advance and establish positions.