Border guards do not rule out Russian attack on Sumy Oblast
The State Border Guard Service does not rule out the possibility of a Russian offensive in Sumy Oblast, as happened in the neighboring Kharkiv Oblast. At the same time, Russia does not currently have enough forces for this, said the spokesman of the border agency Andriy Demchenko on the telethon program.
The spokesman noted that it is worth being ready for the development of any situation in any of the sectors, including Sumy.
"Following the example of what the Russians did in Kharkiv Oblast, in the direction of the settlement of Lyptsi, Vovchansk, the Russians can create the same situation in the direction of Sumy Oblast," he stated.
Demchenko noted that the Russian army's provocations are aimed at stretching Ukrainian forces at the front. However, according to him, the Russians are not yet preparing an offensive in Sumy Oblast.
He also emphasized that at the moment, the sufficient number of Russian forces is not fixed in order to achieve a certain strategic goal in order to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine.
"This is both in terms of equipment and personnel. Of course, the enemy's forces may outweigh our forces. Therefore, despite the fact that the Russians do not have enough of their own capabilities, they can create the same as in the direction of Kharkiv Oblast and Sumy Oblast. We must be ready for any situation," concluded Demchenko.
On May 13, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that the activity of the Russian troops against Sumy Oblast and Chernihiv Oblast is being recorded, including sabotage groups and shelling, but Ukraine is responding to them with fire.
On May 14, Ukraine's spy chief Kyrylo Budanov said that now small Russian groups are concentrated in the area of the Russian city of Sudzha on the border with Sumy Oblast.
Maksyim Zhorin, the deputy commander of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, believes that the Russians may decide to open another front in the northern regions of Ukraine. The biggest threat now is for Sumy Oblast.
