Moscow claims Potapivka under its control as part of buffer zone effort; Ukraine reports inflicting heavy losses on Russian troops
KYIV — March 23, 2026 — Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces have captured Potapivka, a small village near the Russian border in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, as Moscow continues its months-long effort to establish a “buffer zone” along the frontier and Ukrainian officials say they are inflicting heavy casualties on advancing Russian units .
“As a result of determined actions, units of the Northern grouping of soldiers established control over the village of Potapovka in the Sumy region,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, using the Russian name for the settlement . Ukraine did not immediately respond to Russia’s claims regarding Potapivka, and military analysts note that such claims are often made amid ongoing combat where front-line control can be fluid .
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The village is located in Sumy region, which was partially occupied by Russian troops in the early days of the February 2022 invasion but was subsequently reclaimed by Ukrainian forces following a series of successful counteroffensives . Russia has been trying to advance there again in recent months and has claimed the seizure of several villages at the edge of the region, though Ukraine says it is holding back Russia’s advances and that Moscow has struggled to establish a meaningful foothold in the area .
Ukrainian Response and Military Assessment
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged on Saturday that Russian forces were attempting to “intensify” attacks along the front, taking advantage of more favorable weather conditions as winter recedes and spring thaw makes ground conditions more conducive to offensive operations . He said Ukraine had inflicted heavy losses on the invading forces .
“The only tangible outcome for the Russian army has been an increase in their losses — more than 8,000 killed and seriously wounded Russian soldiers in just these seven days,” Zelensky said on social media following a meeting with Ukrainian army commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky . The figures, which could not be independently verified, would represent one of the highest weekly casualty rates for Russian forces in recent months if accurate .
Zelensky said Russian units attempting to advance in Sumy and neighboring Kharkiv region were “being destroyed,” though he did not provide specific details on battlefield positions . Ukrainian officials also reported that a 13-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman were killed in Sumy by a Russian drone strike that hit a car in the border district of Shostka, underscoring the continued threat to civilian populations in northern Ukraine .
Viktor Tregubov, spokesperson for the Joint Forces Task Force, told Ukrinform that Russian forces have stepped up their redeployment and are preparing for new offensive operations on several fronts simultaneously, with specific areas in the Sumy region showing increased enemy activity . He indicated that Russian troops have two main objectives: control of the Lyman sector in Donetsk region and the creation of a so-called “control zone” along the state border in the Sumy and Kharkiv directions .
“At the same time, the enemy is preparing for new offensive operations in several areas at once,” Tregubov said, adding that Ukrainian forces are actively countering these efforts and “stabilizing the front line” .
Russian Objectives in Sumy Region
Russia has been trying to establish a “buffer zone” in Sumy region for months, making small, localized breakthroughs across the border . The area, which had been relatively quiet for much of the war following Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive in the region in 2022, has seen increased Russian activity since late 2025 .
Military analysts suggest that Russian forces are seeking to extend the front line and force Ukraine to divert resources from the eastern front, where Moscow has made slow but steady gains in Donetsk region . The Sumy region also holds strategic importance for Russia as it seeks to create a security cordon along its border with Ukraine, following repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russian border regions throughout the war .
Earlier this month, on March 3, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces had captured Bobylevka in the Sumy region, alongside Veselyanka in the Zaporizhzhia region . However, Ukrainian officials have consistently rejected such claims, describing them as part of Russian information warfare aimed at creating the impression of progress where actual territorial gains remain limited .
On March 11, Viktor Tregubov told Ukrinform that Russian forces were trying to break through in the village of Popivka in the Sumy region but were unsuccessful and could not gain a foothold there . The settlement had been evacuated of civilians earlier in the year, he said, indicating that Ukrainian authorities had anticipated increased military activity in the area .
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The Ukrainian military also confirmed last week that the village of Pokrovka in Sumy Oblast remains under Ukrainian control, with the 14th Army Corps stating that its troops had “completely debunked another lie spread by Russian пабліки claiming the area had been ‘captured'” .
NATO Delegation Visit and International Support
Meanwhile, a high-level NATO delegation visited Ukraine over the weekend, marking the first such visit since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022 . The delegation, led by French Admiral Pierre Vandier, discussed the future involvement of Ukrainian military personnel in NATO exercises and the development of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC), a joint facility established to enhance interoperability between Ukrainian forces and NATO members .
The visit came as Russian drone attacks continued across Ukraine. On the evening of March 21, Russia launched a Shahed drone attack across multiple regions, with explosions reported in Sumy and damage in Brovary, Kyiv Oblast . In the southern Kherson region, one person was reported killed and three injured in attacks over the past day, according to local officials .
Ukrainian air defense forces reported shooting down the majority of incoming drones, though falling debris and missiles that evaded defenses continue to cause casualties and damage civilian infrastructure across the country .
Current Situation and Western Support
Russia currently occupies around one-fifth of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it seized in 2014, and significant portions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions . According to an AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War, Russia’s advances in February were the slowest in nearly two years, suggesting that despite continued pressure along the front, Moscow’s forces are struggling to achieve significant territorial gains .
Western military support for Ukraine continues to flow, though debates over the scale and timing of aid persist in both the United States and European Union member states . The Biden administration has continued to authorize security assistance packages, while European allies have stepped up production of artillery shells and air defense systems to meet Ukrainian requirements .
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly emphasized that continued Western support is critical to maintaining defensive lines and eventually launching counteroffensive operations capable of retaking occupied territory .
Broader Context
The intensified Russian activity in Sumy region is part of a broader pattern of Russian operations aimed at stretching Ukrainian forces across a front line that stretches hundreds of kilometers from the northern border to the Black Sea . Ukraine has faced increasing manpower shortages after nearly four years of war, with mobilization efforts ongoing to replenish units that have been fighting without rotation for extended periods .
Russian forces have also maintained pressure on key cities in Donetsk region, including Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar, where heavy fighting continues . In the south, Ukrainian forces have held defensive positions along the Dnipro River in Kherson region, repelling repeated Russian attempts to establish bridgeheads on the west bank .
As spring weather continues to improve, both sides are expected to intensify combat operations, with the outcome of the coming months likely to shape the trajectory of the conflict through the remainder of the year .
SOURCES / INPUTS
The Moscow Times: Russia Claims Control of Border Village in Ukraine’s Sumy Region
Ukrinform: Russians try to break through in border village of Popivka in Sumy region, Tregubov says
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