While the world’s focus is on the fierce fighting in Donetsk, a forgotten but critical battle is raging on the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. Ukrainian forces are actively engaging Russian troops there to prevent them from being sent as reinforcements to the main eastern theater.
This fighting in the Sumy region is a crucial part of Ukraine’s defensive strategy. By tying down Russian forces in the north, Ukraine prevents Moscow from concentrating its full military might on its primary objective in the Donbas.
The existence of this second active front highlights the scale of the conflict and the strain on Ukraine’s military. It shows that Russia continues to pose a threat across a wide swath of Ukrainian territory, not just in the well-publicized hotspots.
As peace talks are being discussed, the situation in Sumy serves as a reminder of the complexity of the military map. Any ceasefire or peace agreement would have to account not just for the main front line in the east and south, but also for the volatile border regions in the north, making a comprehensive deal even more challenging to achieve.