ISW: Russia plans to capture Sumy, but lacks sufficient forces for this.

Plans to capture Sumy: new report and situation analysis

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is likely considering the possibility of capturing the city of Sumy and part of the Sumy region; however, analysis shows that this task is difficult to accomplish. This information is contained in a new report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

During his visit to the Kursk region on May 20, Putin held a meeting with local officials. ISW analysts believe this was an attempt by the dictator to lay the groundwork for the capture of Sumy and the annexation of the Sumy region.

During the meeting, Pavelzolotaryov urged Putin to create a buffer zone in Ukrainian territory, and in response to a question about the depth of the zone, Zolotaryov stated that Russia must capture 'at least Sumy' and 'become larger.'

Experts believe that the interaction between Putin and Zolotaryov is planned by the Kremlin to create the impression of Putin as an effective wartime leader. However, according to analysts, Russian troops may not be able to capture Sumy in the near future due to the ineffectiveness of the Russian army.

Since the beginning of the war, Russia has failed to capture any Ukrainian city with a population of more than 100,000 people. Even the capture of Lysychansk was a result of a grueling offensive that limited the Russian potential in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials are also skeptical about the ability of Russian troops to conduct a successful offensive operation to capture Sumy.