The command of the Russian forces’ Kursk group continues to make significant efforts to expand the so-called "buffer zone" in the border area of Ukraine’s Sumy region. In particular, in addition to units of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division (MRD) previously engaged in combat in this direction, the Russian troops have redeployed several assault units from the 177th Separate Marine Regiment (SMR) here. These units are actively participating in offensive/assault operations along the Konstantinovka–Kondratovka and Vladimirovka–Alexeyevka axes.
Moreover, the Russian forces have also launched active attacks in the Loknya–Yunakivka direction and to the west of Loknya using assault units of the 76th Air Assault Division (AAD), which operates towards Yunakivka with all three of its "regular" regiments – the 104th, 237th, and 237th (air assault regiments).
As of June 1, the Russian troops achieved minimal advances in the direction of Kondratovka and around Loknya (on average 500–600 meters). However, in the area between Alexeyevka and Novonikolaevka, the Russian forces managed to advance approximately 1.2–1.3 km and succeeded in capturing part of Alexeyevka.
As I understand it, the Russian forces’ immediate objective in this sector is to deploy their advanced units to the Alexeyevka–Yablonovka line. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold Novonikolaevka and the area south of the Vodology–Belovody line, which significantly complicates the Russian troops’ further advance toward the stated line.
In turn, south of the settlement of Oleshnya, the Ukrainian Armed Forces blocked the Russian troops’ attempt to penetrate Ukrainian territory in the direction of the settlement of Sadki through counterattacks, pushing the Russians partially back beyond the border line (by 250–300 meters).
The situation in the Sumy direction remains quite difficult. The Russian command is continuously attempting attacks along several directions, and so far the Ukrainian forces have not been able to fully stop them. The Russian troops are advancing very slowly (sometimes only a few hundred meters) but continue to “creep” in the general north-to-south direction along the entire section from Konstantinovka to Loknya. The overall depth of the Russian forces’ penetration into the border area of Sumy region is about 7.5–8 km.
