Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from several positions in the north-eastern Sumy region, Kyiv confirmed on Sunday, 21 December, in a move linked to intense fighting near the Russia-Ukraine border.
Accounts from Kyiv and Moscow on the situation on the battlefield remain varied with each side claiming success.
Ukraine’s military said its troops pulled back under pressure around the Hrabovske area, where Russian forces in superior numbers crossed the border and forced a tactical adjustment.
Fighting continues in the village, with Ukrainian commanders rejecting claims that Russian units have taken neighbouring Ryasne.
Ukrainian officials also claimed that more than 50 civilians were forcibly taken into Russian territory after the incursion, mostly older residents who had declined evacuation.
The announcement came as the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed advances “along the entire frontline” and said its forces had seized multiple strategically advantageous positions.
Moscow’s military further reported strikes on Ukrainian military‑industrial enterprises and on energy, transport and storage infrastructure supporting Kyiv’s forces.
However, independent verification of these broader claims is limited.
The Sumy region has been a contested front since Russian forces pushed into Ukrainian territory earlier in 2025, capturing several villages and prompting repeated defensive operations by Kyiv.
In mid‑September, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow’s larger offensive in Sumy had been “completely thwarted” and that the Russian grouping in the area had lost offensive capability after heavy losses, although fighting continued along the border.
The conflict in Sumy has also seen significant civilian suffering. In April, Russian missile strikes on Sumy city killed dozens of civilians and wounded many more, drawing international condemnation.
Analysts say the front in Sumy remains fluid, with both sides claiming local successes amid broader strategic pressures on Ukraine’s defences as Russia continues its multi‑axis offensive.
Diplomatic efforts for ceasefire talks proceed in parallel, but with limited signs of an immediate breakthrough.
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