Support The Moscow Times!

Zelensky Denies Russian Foothold in Ukraine's Sumy Region

Sumy region, Ukraine. Mkip.gov.ua

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday denied Russian troops had captured a village in the northeastern Sumy region, where the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov previously claimed Moscow's forces had advanced.

Kadyrov said on Sunday that Russian forces had seized the border village of Ryzhivka. There was no immediate comment from Russia's Defense Ministry and a local Ukrainian official denied the claim.

Zelensky said Ukrainian forces were "in full control" in the Sumy region and that Russian sabotage groups operating there had been "destroyed."

"As for the village of Ryzhivka, the occupier tried to implement a propaganda operation there," he said on social media. "As of this morning, the Russian flag in the village was destroyed, and there is no occupant presence."

Zelensky said fighting in the industrial Donetsk region was "the most difficult" and that Ukrainian forces were doing everything to stabilize their positions there.

Kadyrov had said that fighters from his Akhmat battalion "together with servicemen from other Russian units carried out tactical operations and liberated another settlement from the enemy" in the Sumy region.

"As a result of large-scale planned offensive actions, the Ukrainian side suffered significant losses and was forced to retreat," he added.

Yuriy Zarko, the Ukrainian head of the local municipality, denied Ryzhivka had been captured and told state broadcaster Suspilne there were no Russian troops in the village.

Zelensky warned last month that Russia was amassing troops along the northern border ahead of what might be a new offensive.

Authorities began evacuating residents living in some border towns and villages in the Sumy region last month, citing the risk of increased Russian attacks.

On May 10, Russia began a major ground operation in the neighboring Kharkiv region, capturing several towns and villages as Kyiv's forces struggled with manpower and ammunition shortages.

Ukraine has since rushed reinforcements to the area but lost ground to Russia elsewhere on the front, with Zelensky warning on Sunday of difficult battles in the eastern Donetsk region.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more