Even though Russia does not have enough forces, it can use them, including in the direction of Sumy region, to sow panic and stretch the Ukrainian Defense Forces and prevent them from being redeployed to more important areas.
This was stated by the spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, Andriy Demchenko, during a telethon, UNN correspondent reports.
The General Staff reported that Russians were building up their troops on the border with Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
When asked by the TV presenter whether the border guards were recording this build-up, Demchenko replied:
If we talk about Sumy region and combine Chernihiv region, the border with the aggressor country within these regions is quite long. In Sumy region alone, it is over 560 kilometers. But of course, the enemy still keeps some of its units, forces and means in these areas
According to him, Russia continues to build up its strength in these areas.
The enemy continues to build up its forces in these areas. We have to be prepared for any situation, because we understand that, especially in Sumy region, the enemy can do something similar to what we are seeing now in Kharkiv region in order to create zones where full-scale combat operations are taking place in order to stretch the Defense Forces, including in this area
The official also said whether the enemy has the forces to achieve the strategic goal.
Fortunately, what we are recording is that even though the enemy has the forces now, they are not enough to achieve such a strategic goal. For tactical steps, of course, even though the enemy does not have enough forces, Russia can use them, including in the direction of Sumy region, to sow panic, stretch our forces and prevent them from being redeployed to more important areas where full-scale combat operations are taking place along the front line. Of course, we have to be prepared for any situation. Our enemy is insidious, our enemy is strong
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Earlier, President Zelenskiy said that a possible Russian offensive in the north could be another attempt to pull Ukrainian forces away from Donbas.
The General Staff reported that in the border areas of Sumy region, Russia is taking actions to build up the enemy group.
Today, on May 26, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia is preparing for an offensive and that another group of Russian troops is gathering near the Ukrainian border 90 kilometers from Kharkiv to the northwest.