Russian army attempts to semi-encircle Sumy: Expert outlines threat scenarios

The artillery strike on Sumy on the morning of June 3 indicates that the Russian army has begun reaching the regional center with ground-based weapons, and a new section of the front has opened in Ukraine. This was said by military expert and former SSU officer Ivan Stupak in a comment to TSN.ua.

«The Russians, by shelling Sumy, are counting on the population leaving the city, ” Stupak suggests.

In his view, the Russian army will soon attempt to chaotically shell Sumy, particularly its city center.

«They will shell whatever they can reach to force people to leave, halt industrial activity, and create social tension. Russian bots may get involved, posting panicked messages on behalf of an „ordinary Sumy resident“ about stopping the war at any border or giving the Russians what they want. I’ll say this — we’ve been through all this before; there’s nothing new, ” Stupak says about a possible scenario.

According to the expert, Ukrainian Defense Forces are taking measures to counter the Russian army’s advance in Sumy region, but there are several complex challenges.

«In my opinion, only our missile program can stop (the shelling — Ed.). Striking where Russian warehouses are located, hitting places our drones can’t reach. That’s when we can really make an impact. For now, we can hold them back, but not as effectively, ” Stupak adds.

In summary, he notes that this shelling indicates a new section of the front has been opened since March.

At the same time, Stupak does not rule out the possibility that the Russian army may attempt to semi-encircle Sumy from the northern part of the region.

«To shell and cut off the road connecting Sumy and Hlukhiv. Capturing the regional center is not on the table. They don’t have the forces for that yet, ” Stupak says, analyzing the situation in Sumy region.

As it turned out, throughout June 3, Russian propagandists repeatedly focused on the situation in Sumy region, claiming they could strike the city with artillery.

In turn, Ukrainian MP Maryana Bezuhla wrote on her social media page that, in her opinion, «fortifications in Sumy are the least prepared among all at-risk regions.»

«So let’s be realistic — I must warn and advise citizens to take care of their safety and evacuate from frontline and potentially frontline areas of Sumy region without delay, ” she concluded.

On the official website of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, officials provided contact information for residents of border communities wishing to evacuate. According to the administration, over the past day, the Russian army conducted 150 attacks on 47 settlements in the region, with air raid alerts lasting 15 hours and 50 minutes throughout the day.