On December 20, Russian troops crossed the state border of Ukraine near the village of Grabovske in Sumy Oblast on the border with Russia and forcibly removed more than 50 civilians from the region. The Ukrainian Defense Forces explained that this time the enemy was planning it.
Points of attention
- The head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Group emphasized that the recent events do not align with typical strategic objectives, hinting at a possible political or informational motive.
- The kidnapping of civilians in Sumy region highlights the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, shedding light on the complex dynamics of the conflict in the region.
What is happening in Sumy region?
As mentioned earlier, on December 20, soldiers from the 36th Russian brigade entered the border village of Grabovskoe. They kidnapped 50 people, mostly civilian men.
A statement on this occasion was made by the head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Group, Viktor Tregubov.
According to the latter, the situation in Sumy region does not look like a breakthrough by Russian invaders, but rather a provocation for a possible political or informational attack.
Tregubov also officially confirmed that fighting continued at night, and that measures to oust the Russians are currently continuing.
"As of now, it doesn't look like they're trying to stage some kind of major operation. It looks like some kind of more local provocation in a direction that wasn't key before. And it looks like kidnapping was a significant part of this provocation. It's not about strategic goals, but kidnapping for some kind of, perhaps, political or informational attack," Tregubov explained.
