Sumy borders Russia’s Kursk region, and in August last year, Ukrainian troops were almost driven out of Russian territory they captured in a cross-border attack.
Oleksandr Syrskyi said while visiting the troops in the Sumy area that his troops were conducting defense and attack operations to preserve the buffer zone in Kursk.
“Our soldiers continue to carry out defensive operations to prevent the enemy from entering Ukrainian territory,” he added on Facebook.
Syrskyi’s comments come after a new warning from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Le Figaro on Wednesday night, Russia is conducting a spring offensive for Sumy and Kharkiv regions.
A spokesman for Ukrainian border defense forces told Ukrainian media on Wednesday that Russian sabotage groups have stepped up cross-border raids entering the Sumi area. Zelenskiy discussed in Paris on Thursday how they could play a role if a peace deal was reached with Russia.
