The Russian army is trying to establish a foothold near the village of Novenke in Sumy Oblast and cut off Ukraine’s logistical routes, says Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service, according to UkrInform.
Novenke is located near the border with Russia’s Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces have established a presence since 2024. Capturing the village would allow Russian forces to disrupt Ukrainian logistical routes, particularly those connecting to the Ukrainian-held areas in Kursk, such as Sudzha city, and destroy Kyiv’s positions in the region.
“We are recording that in the direction of Novenke, the Russians are attempting to create an active combat zone on Ukrainian territory and secure a position there. These are small assault groups consisting of several individuals. They are trying to infiltrate our territory, build up forces, and advance deeper into Ukraine, likely aiming to disrupt logistical routes,” Demchenko says.
He notes that Ukrainian units are striking Russia’s forces using artillery, mortars, and reconnaissance-strike drone systems to eliminate them, prevent force buildup, and stop the expansion of combat operations.
“If we talk about the frontline where the State Border Guard Service units are operating, the enemy is actively using all available means to shell our positions and carry out strikes. We are seeing an increase in attacks, particularly with unmanned aerial vehicles, including fiber-optic-guided drones,” Demchenko states.
According to him, the most intense sector remains the Kupiansk direction, where the Russians continue assault operations. He noted that Russian forces are deploying assault groups in an attempt to push Ukrainian units from their positions and expand the combat zone. However, these efforts have been unsuccessful.
Earlier, reports said that thousands of Ukrainian soldiers in Russia’s Kursk Oblast were nearly encircled by Russian forces. This situation arose after the US suspended intelligence sharing with Kyiv. The decision increases the likelihood that Ukrainian forces may be forced to retreat back to Ukraine or risk being captured or killed.
However, later sources emphasized that the situation is not yet catastrophic, and Ukrainian troops are not surrounded at this time.
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