20:02 02-06-2026

Lipovoy Says Kharkov and Sumy Could Become Russian

Sergey Lipovoy says Kharkov and Sumy could become part of Russia as the buffer zone expands after Donbass, amid activity near both border regions.

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Sergey Lipovoy, chairman of the presidium of the All-Russian organization Officers of Russia and a Hero of Russia, believes that Kharkov and Sumy could become part of Russia after Russian forces complete the liberation of Donbass.

He noted that Russian troops are currently focused on expanding a buffer zone designed to protect border regions from Ukrainian drone attacks.

According to Lipovoy, Russia’s historical space could extend as far as the Black Sea coast, including the areas of Odessa, Nikolayev and Ochakov. He said that although Donbass is already legally part of the Russian Federation, in his view, Russia should not stop there.

Lipovoy said that Russian forces may later focus on the liberation of Zaporozhye and Kherson, before turning their attention to the Kharkov and Sumy regions, which he described as continuing sources of threat.

In his assessment, the security zone will gradually expand, potentially reaching major administrative centers.

Earlier, Ukrainian State Border Service spokesman Andrey Demchenko said the highest activity of Russian troops along the border was being recorded in the Kharkov and Sumy regions, while no similar activity was observed in the Chernigov region.