Putin says Russia may not aim to capture city of Sumy, but doesn’t rule it out

By Alperen Aktas and Elena Teslova

ISTANBUL / MOSCOW (AA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russian forces have established a security zone up to 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) deep along the Ukrainian border, citing repeated attacks from Ukraine’s northeastern border region of Sumy as justification.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin claimed that Ukrainian forces had “broken into” Russia’s Kursk region and committed “crimes against the civilian population.”

He said that in response, Russian troops inflicted “huge losses” and expelled the attackers, prompting Moscow to secure the border area.

“We now have to create a security zone along the state border, because they are constantly attacking from there with artillery and drones,” he said. “The depth is from 12 kilometers (7.5 miles), somewhere there 8, 10, 12 kilometers (5, 6.3, 7.5 miles). Next is the city of Sumy.”

Putin added that while Russia does not currently aim to seize Sumy, he would not rule it out, accusing Ukraine of provoking the situation through “completely illiterate, unjustified actions.”

The Ukrainian government has not immediately responded to Putin’s remarks.

In the fourth year of the war, Russia’s ground operations have recently intensified in northeastern Ukraine, particularly near Kharkiv, while Kremlin officials continue to frame such moves as defensive responses to Ukrainian strikes.