Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced Thursday that Ukrainian forces have successfully halted Russia’s summer offensive in the Sumy region, stabilizing the front line in the strategically sensitive northeast.

During a visit to the front, Syrskyi stated that Russian advances had been "choked off." He emphasized, however, that the region still faces pressing needs—especially in terms of fortifications—saying he had visited local defenses and found “more were urgently needed.”

Pressure Mounts at the Border

Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces briefly advanced last year before retreating. President Vladimir Putin responded in April with a call to build “security buffer zones” along Russia’s border with northeastern Ukraine.

In May, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that 50,000 of Russia’s most capable troops were massed along the border, aiming to push 10 km into Ukrainian territory. Russia has since claimed gains in several villages and launched heavy missile strikes on the city of Sumy, including a 13 April attack that killed at least 34 people and injured over 100.

Fortification Delays Spark Concern

Public criticism has grown over the slow and insufficient construction of defensive structures. Syrskyi acknowledged these concerns, pledging improvements including the creation of “kill zones,” anti-drone corridors, and better logistics. Still, he admitted these efforts must be carried out “more efficiently.”

Observers like DeepState, a frontline monitoring group, confirmed intense fighting continues in unfortified areas. Analysts warned that delays in reinforcing Sumy or poor-quality dugouts have exposed Ukrainian forces to renewed risk.

Putin: ‘No Goal to Capture Sumy’

Speaking in St. Petersburg last week, President Putin claimed Russia did not aim to seize Sumy, but did not rule it out. He asserted that Russian troops had already established an 8–12 km buffer zone.

Meanwhile, drone attacks across Ukraine, especially in Kyiv, are intensifying. Despite international support—including a new €35 billion pledge from European and Canadian NATO allies—concerns linger in Kyiv over U.S. President Donald Trump’s commitment.

Trump Signals Possible Missile Aid

After a meeting with Zelensky at the NATO summit in The Hague, Trump hinted at providing U.S. Patriot air defense systems to Kyiv. “We’re going to see if we could make some available. You know, they’re very hard to get,” he told a BBC reporter.