Ukrainian officials have initiated widespread evacuations in the Sumy region, adjacent to the Russian border, in response to prolonged and intense artillery bombardments, according to statements made on Friday.
The Sumy region’s military administration disclosed via the Telegram messaging platform that over 180 individuals from the vicinity of the Velikopysarska community near the border had been evacuated in the last three days.
The intensity of Russian artillery strikes in Sumy has escalated, a fact consistently reported by local authorities. The regional government highlighted that the affected areas are currently experiencing the highest levels of tension, with casualties including three fatalities and 13 injuries within the past five days.
Furthermore, the administration reported that an extensive evacuation effort has relocated over 4,500 inhabitants from 22 villages across the Sumy region, although the specific timeframe for these evacuations was not provided.
The situation escalated near Velikopysarska, just a short distance from the Russian village of Kozinka, where recent incursions by armed factions caused significant destruction. These groups, claiming to consist of Russians opposing the Kremlin, have launched military operations in the vicinity.
On the Russian side, the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, reported continued shelling of his area on Thursday, resulting in one injury. Gladkov, after inspecting border regions, affirmed the absence of hostile forces within his jurisdiction late Wednesday.
In addition, Roman Starovoit, the governor of the adjacent Kursk region in Russia, announced that air defense units intercepted three Ukrainian drones on Thursday night.
These reports of military engagements and the resultant evacuations underscore the escalating tensions in the area, though Reuters has not independently confirmed the details of these military activities.
