The Russian army is making massive logistical movements from one front to another. This military transfer includes artillery, air defense, and dozens of trucks loaded with ammunition and personnel.
Russia reportedly conducted the largest military equipment transfer from occupied Crimea and the Kherson region to the Sumy sector, according to Petro Andriushchenko, an adviser to the exiled mayor of Mariupol.
"We are witnessing a massive and the largest military equipment transfer from Crimea and the Kherson region," Andriushchenko wrote on Telegram, where he posted a video showing a convoy of military vehicles, as reported by Kyiv Post.
According to the official, the convoy included over 10 units of self-propelled artillery, an air defense system, and more than 40 trucks transporting ammunition and personnel.
"The Russians passed through Mariupol towards Novoazovsk, then towards Taganrog, transporting a large volume of equipment and personnel," Andriushchenko said. He added that the equipment was then loaded onto trains and, according to sources, transferred to the Kursk region of Russia, from where it is expected to head towards the Sumy sector of the front line.
"This is the largest transfer in the last six months and the first of this magnitude since the beginning of the large-scale war. What is particularly surprising is that they are bringing self-propelled guns in 'new' condition from Crimea. We are analyzing this," Andriushchenko added.
Russian troops have advanced southward to within 29 kilometers of the city of Sumy, the capital of the northeastern region of Ukraine that was completely liberated at the start of the Russian invasion.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and independent observers have confirmed the Russian troop advance in the Sumy region, where they have approached three localities. Previously, ISW reported that Russian forces appear to be heading towards the Khotyn-Khrapivshchyna line, about 12-15 kilometers from the city of Sumy, which could place it within the range of Russian conventional artillery.
The city of Sumy, located 320 km northeast of Kiev, has never been occupied in the 11 years of war. Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that 50,000 Russian soldiers had been deployed near the border.
By May 31, 213 localities in the Sumy region had been evacuated, with the regional governor ordering mandatory evacuations in another 11 localities.
Russian officials have repeatedly called for the creation of a "buffer zone" in the region, which could pave the way for a broader offensive. However, ISW assesses that it is unlikely for Russia to conquer Sumy in the short or medium term, adding that Russian forces have not captured any major Ukrainian city since July 2022.
During Russian leader Vladimir Putin's visit to the Kursk region on May 20, local officials raised the idea of conquering Sumy. In an "undoubtedly orchestrated" exchange, officials suggested that the buffer zone should extend to the city of Sumy, with Putin showing apparent interest in this idea.
During the alleged visit of Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the Kursk region on May 20, local officials raised the idea of conquering Sumy. In an "undoubtedly orchestrated" exchange, officials suggested that the buffer zone should extend to the city of Sumy, with Putin showing apparent interest.
The interim governor of Kursk reiterated the proposal later on. Additionally, during the peace talks in Istanbul on May 16, the Russian delegation reportedly also threatened that Moscow would occupy Sumy.
T.D.