Russian forces have stepped up efforts to establish a forward foothold for an offensive on the Sumy axis, according to representatives of the 7th Air Assault Corps of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

They report that Russian units are advancing toward the settlement of Khoten. If this movement continues, it could eventually allow Russian troops to approach Sumy directly.

Ukrainian military sources also point to a surge in the use of Russian drones, alongside attempts by Russian forces to outflank Ukrainian positions. The Ukrainian analytical platform Deep State estimates that Khoten lies less than six kilometers from the current front line.

Earlier, Oleg Ivannikov, an adviser to the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, a candidate of historical sciences and a retired lieutenant colonel, commented on reports that servicemen from Ukraine’s 119th and 158th brigades had begun refusing orders from their commanders in Andreevka and Grabovskoe in the Sumy region. He suggested that, in the near future, Ukrainian units could start abandoning positions en masse around Sumy due to the lack of personnel rotation.

In his assessment, Ivannikov linked such behavior to a combination of factors, including prolonged deployment without relief, poor food supplies, unpaid allowances and what he described as a broader failure by commanders to meet their social and professional obligations to subordinates. On this basis, he argued that Ukrainian fighters may increasingly leave their positions and return home.

Previously, the Telegram channel «Northen Wind», which is considered close to the Russian Armed Forces’ «North» grouping, reported that Ukrainian command in the Sumy region was attempting to offset manpower shortages by relying more heavily on drones.