Putin eyes strategic expansion: Plans for Sumy region revealed

Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, held a meeting with officials in the Kursk region. According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), this meeting may be an attempt to justify plans to seize the Sumy region in northern Ukraine.

In its latest report, ISW emphasizes that Russian territorial goals extend beyond the already occupied areas. Putin may seek further occupation of the Sumy region to force Ukraine into concessions during future peace negotiations.

During the meeting, which took place on May 20 , the head of the Glushkovsky district authorities, Pavel Zolotaryov, asked Putin to create a buffer zone in the Sumy region, including the city of Sumy. The acting governor of the region, Aleksandr Khinshtein, referred to his roots in the Sumy region, emphasizing that "this land is not foreign to him."

Sumy, located just 16 miles from the border with Russia, would, in the case of the creation of a buffer zone, prevent Ukrainian forces from attacking Russian territory using artillery and drones. ISW suggests that the Kremlin may have arranged this meeting to present Putin as an effective leader responding to the needs of his subordinates.

Although Russian authorities announced on April 26 the recapture of the entire Kursk region, ISW notes that Ukrainian forces still maintain positions there, and fighting continues. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed on May 21 that combat operations are ongoing.

ISW assesses that it is unlikely Russian forces will be able to seize Sumy in the near future, given Russia's current difficulties in quickly capturing even smaller towns. Currently, only limited Russian units are operating toward Sumy, which is not enough to take over a city that had a population of 256,000 before the war.

The last city with over 100,000 residents that Russia captured was Lysychansk in July 2022.