Kyiv, Ukraine | September 24, 2025
A Strategic Victory: Ukraine Declares Russian Sumy Operation Failed, as Forces Retreat
In a major strategic victory for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially declared that Russia’s offensive in the northern Sumy region has “failed” and that Russian forces have abandoned the area after suffering significant losses. The withdrawal of Russian troops from Sumy, which borders Russia’s Kursk region, marks a key defensive success for Ukraine and forces Russia to re-evaluate its strategy on the eastern front.
Headline Points
* President Zelenskyy confirmed that the Russian offensive in the Sumy region has “failed,” with Russian troops withdrawing from the area after suffering heavy casualties, primarily in manpower.
* Russia’s operation in Sumy, which began in early 2025, was seen as an attempt to divert Ukrainian forces from other fronts, including Donetsk.
* Ukraine’s successful defense of Sumy has reportedly forced Russia to re-deploy its elite paratrooper and marine units to other fronts.
* The Ukrainian military has been praised for its successful defensive operations and its ability to withstand a major Russian assault.
A Costly Failure for Russia
The Russian offensive in Sumy began in early 2025, with Moscow attempting to open a new front to divert Ukrainian forces from the highly contested eastern regions of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. The operation was launched following a Ukrainian counteroffensive in Russia’s Kursk region, with Russia aiming to reclaim a foothold in the area.
However, according to Ukrainian officials, the Russian operation has been an unmitigated disaster for Moscow. President Zelenskyy, speaking at a news conference in Kyiv, stated that “the Sumy operation has failed. They suffered significant losses, primarily in personnel.” He added that as a result of these losses, Russian forces have “abandoned this direction” and have begun to redeploy their units elsewhere.
The Strategic Implications
The failure of the Sumy offensive has significant strategic implications for the ongoing war. For Ukraine, it is a major victory that demonstrates the strength of its defensive capabilities and its ability to hold its territory against a determined assault. The successful defense of Sumy means that Ukraine does not need to divert critical resources from other fronts.
For Russia, the failure is a major setback. It exposes the Russian military’s inability to launch and sustain a successful large-scale offensive, particularly in the face of stiff Ukrainian resistance. Furthermore, the redeployment of elite Russian paratrooper and marine units from Sumy suggests that Russia is now being forced to consolidate its forces in other directions, a move that could lead to new offensives in other areas. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has noted that Russia has been regrouping its forces in preparation for an autumn offensive, which will likely focus on seizing the remaining areas of Donetsk Oblast not under Russian control.
