Russia wants to completely or partially encircle Sumy – BBC.

Russian troops are planning to encircle or semi-encircle the city of Sumy in order to strengthen their presence in the Sumy region. This was reported by the BBC citing 'Glavkom'. According to the source, the increase in the number of military conflicts could indicate the beginning of Russia's offensive actions. The number of attacks by Russian forces has increased more than twice and has become the highest since the beginning of the year.

In early March, there were about a hundred clashes daily, and then their number rose to over 200. In April, the number fluctuates from 150 to 160. One source stated that the goal is to encircle or semi-encircle Sumy.

The Ukrainian troops are trying to avoid such a situation by holding their positions in the Kursk region near the villages of Oleshny and Hornal. Ukrainian soldiers have also launched a limited operation on the border of the Belgorod and Kursk regions, where they managed to breach Russian defenses and create a foothold in the villages of Demydivka and Popovka.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that the Russian Federation has begun a new stage of a large-scale offensive, focusing its forces on the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. President Volodymyr Zelensky also stated that there is a significant number of attacks on the border with the Russian Federation in the Sumy region, where more than 67 thousand Russian troops are located. It was previously reported that the Russian army is preparing reserves to breach the front in May.

Thus, the Russian troops intend to encircle or semi-encircle the city of Sumy, strengthening their presence in the Sumy region. Ukrainian forces are trying to hold their positions and are conducting a limited operation to prevent the encirclement of Sumy. The situation on the border with the Russian Federation is tense, and the intensity of attacks by Russian forces is increasing.