Sumy is cleared of Russians, Ukraine knocked strategic _trump card_ out of hands of Putin and Trump

SUBSCRIBE TO US!
The success of the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Sumy region, where the Defense Forces drove Russians out of several villages over the summer, deprives Russia of some of its trump cards in any hypothetical peace talks, The New York Times reports.
In a large article, the publication tells the story of the liberation of the village of Kindrativka, located less than 20 km north of Sumy.
“A modest achievement that has great significance for Kyiv. The successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in the Sumy region, which borders Russia, is a rare turn on a battlefield dominated by Moscow’s forces,” the publication says. American journalists note that against the backdrop of the constant advance of the Russian army, which captures hundreds of square kilometers of Ukrainian territory every month, the return of even small areas of the Sumy region helps Ukraine counter Moscow’s narrative about Kyiv’s inability to stop the Russian offensive. In particular, in the Sumy region, the Russian offensive suffered such a serious setback that the Russian command finally abandoned it and transferred its main forces from there to the Donbas.

However, there is another aspect that is even more important. As The New York Times notes, Moscow previously proposed exchanging the captured parts of the Sumy region for the rest of the Donbas territory as part of a peace agreement. US President Donald Trump seems to have supported this idea, despite the obvious disproportionate nature of such an exchange. However, Ukraine’s achievements near Sumy weaken Russia’s negotiating position.

“Why should we exchange territories if we can return them?” explains Maksym Skrypchenko, president of the Kyiv-based Center for Transatlantic Dialogue.

At the same time, the strategic situation for the Defense Forces remains extremely difficult, writes the NYT, referring to the aggressor’s significant superiority in infantry and firepower. Not only Russian drones, but also Russian guided bombs pose a problem for Ukrainian forces, particularly in the Sumy region.
In addition to creating real problems for the Ukrainian military, the Russian tactic of bombing every inch of land leads to the complete destruction of the settlements being fought for.
The aforementioned village of Kindrativka was reduced to ruins after its liberation. Nataliya Biletchenko, a resident of Sumy, who was interviewed by the authors of this publication, recalled how a colleague rejoiced at the liberation of Kindrativka, her native village. However, this joy was overshadowed by the fact that her house had been destroyed.
“Of course, she was happy. But at the same time, she was homeless, with nothing,” the woman said.