Fighting in Sumy, Kharkiv regions may intensify in April, early May — Ukrainian military

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

"If we look at the Russian army's actions, especially in the Sumy region, we can see that Russia is conducting active offensive operations. The grouping formed by Russia is already in action. Ukrainian forces, as the President of Ukraine noted, have taken several important steps, including preventive actions on the territory of the Belgorod region," emphasized Musienko.

According to the serviceman from Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, the goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' actions in Belgorod is to prevent the Russians from forming a large strike group – the same offensive force that would allow them to quickly invade Ukrainian territory, particularly the Sumy region. From there, Russian forces could pose a threat to both the regional center and create a foothold for further advancement deeper into Ukraine or for forming a so-called sanitary zone. Significant measures have already been taken by the Ukrainian forces.

"Overall, active combat operations are currently underway in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The intensity of the fighting may increase, especially in late April or early May. At the same time, a number of preventive measures are being taken to prevent Russian troops from accumulating resources and launching large-scale operations to achieve their operational objectives. So, the offensive operations are already underway, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces are repelling them both in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions," Musienko emphasized.

• On April 9, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that Russian troops effectively launched an offensive on Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions.