Evacuations Intensify in Sumy as Ukraine Braces for Potential Russian Ground Attack

Ukraine has initiated the evacuation of 11 additional villages in the Sumy region near the Russian border, spurred by concerns that Russia is preparing for a new ground offensive.

According to Kyiv, Russia has claimed control over several villages in the northeastern area and has gathered over 50,000 troops across the border.

This evacuation decision was made just two days prior to a potential meeting in Istanbul, as the United States urged both nations to put an end to the ongoing three-year conflict.

While Russia has confirmed it will dispatch a delegation to Turkey, Ukraine has not yet agreed to the meeting, cautioning that discussions would be fruitless unless Moscow presents its terms for peace beforehand.

On Friday, President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of trying to disrupt the meeting by failing to disclose its peace conditions.

The evacuation, affecting a 30-kilometer area from the Russian border, was prompted by the ongoing threat to civilian safety due to the artillery fire targeting border communities, according to local authorities on social media.

Andriy Demchenko, a representative of Ukraine’s border guard, reported that Russia seems ready to «attempt an attack» on Sumy.

In total, evacuations have been ordered for 213 settlements in the region.

On Saturday, Russia’s defense ministry announced that its forces had captured another village, Vodolagy, in the Sumy area.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has caused significant loss of life and resulted in extensive destruction in various towns and villages across the eastern and southern parts of the country.

Currently, Moscow’s military controls about 20% of Ukraine and claims to have annexed five regions, including Crimea, which was seized in 2014.

U.S. President Donald Trump has taken the lead in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict, while both Ukraine and Russia accuse one another of lacking genuine interest in peace.

After a round of talks on May 16 that primarily concluded with a large prisoner exchange, the Kremlin has proposed further negotiations in Istanbul on Monday.

Kyiv has not confirmed its participation in the upcoming meeting and stated it does not anticipate any meaningful outcomes unless Russia provides its peace proposals in advance.

Russia plans to present its peace memorandum in person on Monday, but Ukraine suspects it will include unreasonable demands that have already been declined, such as territorial concessions and a renouncement of NATO aspirations.

In a statement to the United Nations, Russia’s ambassador Vassily Nebenzia indicated that the memorandum might call for Western nations to cease arms supplies to Ukraine and for Ukraine to halt its military mobilization.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has maintained cordial relations with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, is playing a crucial mediating role in efforts to resolve the conflict.

During a call with Zelensky late Friday, Erdogan encouraged both sides to send «strong delegations» to maintain the momentum toward peace, as reported by the Turkish state news agency Anadolu.

Turkey has proposed hosting a summit involving Putin, Zelensky, and Trump; however, the Kremlin has rejected this offer.

Putin has repeatedly dismissed calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.