20 km to Sumy: what the WSJ article about the threat from Russia hides and what the military say from the front
1 July 2025 19:56
Western media are once again spreading alarming reports about the threat to Sumy region. This time, The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia has deployed about 50,000 troops to the border, has a threefold advantage over Ukrainian forces, and is only 20 kilometers from the regional center. It sounds formidable.
But why is this being presented right now? Who is the target audience for this kind of inflammation, if the publication itself contains no new information for us?
Details of the sensational article
Russia is massing forces in the Sumy region: according to The Wall Street Journal, there are about 50,000 soldiers near the border – three times as many as the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The regional center is only 20 kilometers away.
Despite the daily losses of up to 400 people, the enemy is constantly moving reserves. Ukrainian troops are forced to dig trenches under fire without proper fortifications and mines. Elite units are being deployed to contain the breakthrough.
“The Russians are probing various points along the line and then attacking with full force when they find a vulnerability, as they did in Sumy region last month. This is forcing Ukrainian commanders to play ‘hit the mole’ by sending in elite units to help plug the gaps,” The Wall Street Journal writes.
The situation has been partially stabilized, but casualties remain high, and the Russians are actively looking for weaknesses along the entire front line, The Wall Street Journal summarizes.
“Overblown sensation”: military analyst Vasyl Pehnyo on the “terrible news” from the WSJ about Sumy region
Military analyst Vasyl Pehnyo in an exclusive commentary
The analyst analyzed in detail three key points of the WSJ publication: the number of Russian troops, the ratio of forces, and the distance to Sumy.
- 50 thousand Russian troops are not a secret
“Syrsky himself spoke about these 50,000 Russians a week and a half ago – first off the record with journalists, and then it appeared in the public space. He explained that these troops were tied up in battles in Kursk and Sumy regions, and even cited the example of Tiotkino, where one of the Russian brigades was supposed to move to the Pokrovsk direction but stayed put because of the situation. That is nothing new,” noted Vasyl Pehnyo.
- “The Russians are outnumbered. No one expected us to stand there “wall to wall” in equal numbers
“Military science says that a 3 to 1 advantage is required to launch an offensive. And given the Russian tactics – the massive use of infantry – they need even more. Therefore, there is no sensation here either,” explained Vasyl Pehnyo.
- “20 km to Sumy” is a manipulation
“Didn’t we know this? Look at the map. It is the same 20 kilometers from Yunakivka to Sumy. Even more – at certain points of the state border, the city is 25 km away. The Russians have been “staying” 20 kilometers from Sumy since 1991 – physically. So what is the news here?” added Vasyl Pehnyo.
Summarizing, the military analyst made a clear conclusion: although publications in the Western media are extremely cited in Ukraine, they often contain no new information. And our media picked it up and dispersed it under loud headlines
“I am not saying that everything is calm in Sumy region. There is fighting there, the situation is under control. But if we talk specifically about what is written in the WSJ, it is zero additional information. Nothing new, nothing panic-inducing, nothing that should cause hysteria,” summarized Vasyl Pehnyo.
What do the Ukrainian military say?
Stanislav Bunyatov, a serviceman of the Ukrainian Defense Forces , said in his Telegram channel “Sniper Speaks” that the enemy’s stop in Sumy region is not a “pause” or a truce, but a titanic work of our soldiers.
“Most people perceive the stabilization in the Sumy sector as the immutability of positions on the map, but we should not forget that every hour of this “stability” means 200 and 300 casualties among our soldiers. Heavy fighting continues. Every day. Every hour,” – “Sniper Speaks”
Ukrainian soldier Kyrylo Sazonov described the situation in Sumy region as difficult but controlled. According to him, Russian troops are suffering massive losses during the assaults, especially in the area of Yunakivka and Andriivka.
“In the Sumy region, they have killed a crowd of people in the storming of Yunakivka and attempts to retake Andriivka. Near Andriivka, not even in front of our positions, but on the roads to the assault lines, everything is clogged with equipment and bodies of the occupiers, just like once near Bakhmut,” Kyrylo Sazonov
The attempt to storm Yunakivka failed, the enemy remained on the outskirts, adds Sazonov. The 106th Airborne Division of the Russian Federation was particularly affected.
“The paratroopers from the 106th came under fire so much that they are being pulled back to the second line. […] We cannot talk about a complete cessation of the offensive in Sumy region. There are about 50 thousand [Russians] here, so the assaults will continue,” Kyrylo Sazonov
However, according to the military, even Russian propaganda no longer promises the capture of Sumy.
At the same time, the Telegram channel “Thoughts of a Frontline Sold ier” wrote that the intensity of the Russian army’s assaults is not decreasing, and if Ukrainian troops have lost positions, it is in order to take more favorable ones.
“Either they realize that they can pull back for a more comfortable hold, or the command does not conduct appropriate training on the terrain. The situation is in the zone of activity of both sides. The enemy is also suffering losses.” – “Thoughts of a frontline soldier”
What do Russian propagandists write?
Despite the Kremlin’s loud statements about “stability” and “control,” the rhetoric of Russian propagandists and military officers indicates a tense situation in the Sumy sector, where fighting continues.
Alexander Sladkov, a Russian propagandist, said on June 29 that Russian troops were allegedly advancing and taking control of new territories in Sumy region. However, he states that the intensity of shelling in Sumy region is increasing. In particular, it is the active use of multiple rocket launchers and mortars.
🔻 “With the dominance of UAVs in the sky, the intensity of our artillery has not decreased, given the availability of ammunition, of course. Both mortars and cannon are working hard, I even hear MLRS quite often in the Sumy sector of the frontline,” Sladkov
This evidence confirms that the Russians continue to target populated areas, taking advantage of their superiority in UAVs and artillery. At the same time, the reports themselves indirectly indicate that ammunition is limited.
A Russian military propagandist under the nickname Kotsnews admitted that the Russian offensive in Sumy region was extremely difficult. In the post, he actually confirmed that Ukrainian defensive positions are holding, and “there is no easy advance there.”
🔻 “Ukrainians know how to turn even ordinary trenches into a serious defense line. And they are able to dig them very quickly. This is recognized by our attack aircraft. So there is no easy advance there. Two machine gunners can hold a narrow forest belt for a long time. It is very difficult to break through,” Kotsnews writes.
He also questioned the assessment of The Wall Street Journal, which reports that Russia has concentrated up to 50,000 troops in the Sumy sector – three times more than the Ukrainian army. At the same time, he actually acknowledged serious problems with the combat capability of advanced Russian units and logistical difficulties.
The enemy maintains pressure, but Ukrainian forces are holding out, maneuvering and thwarting the Kremlin’s intentions. Effective coordination, training of new units and retention of the initiative, in particular through active actions in the border areas of Russia, remain key.
