Syrsky talks about Russia’s “summer offensive”

26 June 12:39

The defense forces have stopped the enemy’s advance in Sumy region, and this year’s wave of enemy “summer offensive” attempts from the territory of Russia is choking. This was stated by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports

Syrsky spent a busy day in the North Slobozhansky direction, where the key task is to defend Sumy region. In his commentary, he summarized the current situation, emphasizing the stabilization of the front and the success of Ukrainian forces.

Stopping the enemy’s offensive

In May-June 2025, Russian attempts to launch a “summer offensive” from the territory of the Russian Federation in Sumy region failed, similar to the failure of the enemy’s offensive in Kharkiv region last year.

“Based on the results of May-June, we can state that this year’s wave of attempts of the enemy’s “summer offensive” from the territory of the Russian Federation is choking just like last year’s attempted offensive in the Kharkiv region,” noted Syrskyi.

According to him, the advance of Russian troops in the Sumy region has been stopped as of this week, and the line of contact has been stabilized. In some areas, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are successfully using active defense tactics to liberate Ukrainian territory.

In the Severoslobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian forces have pinned down about 50,000 Russian troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades.

The offensive actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Hlushkiv district of Kursk region forced the enemy to redeploy some forces to protect its own territory, which significantly weakened the offensive potential of the main group in Sumy region.

Strengthening the defense of Sumy region

To strengthen the defense of the region, a special group has been created to protect the cities and communities of Sumy region. The main tasks include:

Building fortifications and engineering barriers.
Increasing the system of fortifications.
Preparing for possible enemy offensives.

The Commander-in-Chief has appointed responsible persons, including a deputy for engineering and fortification equipment, who will coordinate these works.

During the inspection, Syrskyi assessed the condition of the fortifications, including those under the responsibility of the regional military administration (RMA) and the State Special Transport Service (SSTS).

He emphasized that the work needs to be accelerated to meet the requirements of modern warfare.

Priorities and tasks

The key tasks identified by Syrsky include:

Construction of additional fortifications.
Organization of “kill zones” for the effective destruction of the enemy.
Building anti-drone corridors to protect the military and logistics.

The Commander-in-Chief emphasized that these tasks require greater efficiency. He also announced a second inspection in a certain period of time to assess progress.

Interaction with the military

During his visit, Syrskyi met with commanders and soldiers on the ground to discuss their suggestions and ideas. He gave orders on organizational issues and the provision of units, and awarded the best soldiers with honorary awards from the Commander-in-Chief. Syrskyi expressed his gratitude to all the defenders of Sumy region – from ordinary soldiers to the group’s commander, Brigadier General Oleh Apostol.