Law, Power, and Justice

The village, Kindrativka, is one of two that Ukraine has retaken in the region this summer, and its forces are now pushing close to other Russian-held villages — modest gains that matter deeply to Kyiv.

But reclaiming small areas of Sumy helps Ukraine counter Moscow’s narrative that Russian advances are unstoppable and that Kyiv should settle for a peace deal now, even if it means giving up territory. Moscow’s progress has stalled in Sumy to the point that it is moving troops from that area to other fronts, analysts say, including the eastern region of Donetsk, where it is trying to encircle several key cities.
Russia’s Sumy operation “has failed,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine told reporters on Wednesday. “They suffered significant losses, primarily in manpower,” Mr. Zelensky said of Russian forces, adding that those who remained were being redeployed.
Ukraine’s step forward in Sumy draws on familiar tactics like relentless drone strikes and small-group infantry assaults. But their execution by some of Kyiv’s elite units, including airborne troops, helped explain the advance.