The battle of Sumy was a military engagement which began on 24 February 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, as part of the Northeastern Ukraine offensive, and ended on 4 April 2022 when Russia withdrew all of its forces from Sumy Oblast.[1]
On 24 February 2022, the Russian army nearly captured Sumy, located near the Russia–Ukraine border, with little initial resistance. Ukrainian soldiers and militia began engaging the Russian forces within the city, resulting in heavy urban fighting.[12][13][14][15]
On 4 April 2022, Governor of Sumy Oblast Dmytro Zhyvytskyi stated that Russian troops no longer occupied any towns or villages in Sumy Oblast and had mostly withdrawn, while Ukrainian troops were working to push out the remaining units.[1]
Battle[]
A damaged building in Sumy on 27 February 2022
Russian tanks and units began to move into Sumy on 24 February 2022, and fighting began on the outskirts at 03:00.[16] There was an extensive amount of urban warfare between the Ukrainian defenders and Russian forces. A church in Sumy was burned down as a result of the battle.[17] The fighting between the two forces continued at about 22:30 on 24 February near the Sumy State University, where the Ukrainian 27th Artillery Brigade was stationed. At 01:39 on 25 February, reports said that the Russian forces had retreated from the city.[18][19]
On 26 February, fighting again broke out on the streets of Sumy.[20] Russian forces were able to capture half of the city. By the end of the day, Ukrainian forces had recaptured the entire city.[19] Ukrainian forces also allegedly destroyed a convoy of Russian fuel trucks.[21] Mayor Oleksandr Lysenko reported three civilian deaths on 26 February, including one killed when Russian BM-21 Grad vehicles fired missiles into Veretenivka, a residential area in the eastern part of Sumy.[22][10]
Evacuation attempts at the destroyed building in Veretenivka
On the morning of 27 February, a column of Russian vehicles advanced into Sumy from the east.[23] A civilian car was shot at, resulting in civilian casualties.[8][24] Russian forces reportedly ran out of supplies and began attempting to loot markets.[25]
On 28 February, Ukrainian forces claimed that Ukrainian Baykar Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles destroyed many Russian vehicles, including 96 tanks, 20 BM-21 Grad vehicles, and 8 fuel carriers.[2]
On 1 March, over 70 Ukrainian troops were killed during an attack on a military barracks in Sumy.[26]
Evacuation attempts by bus via "green corridors"
On 3 March, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, governor of Sumy Oblast, stated that five people were injured from shelling on buildings of the 27th Artillery Brigade and the military department at Sumy State University.[27] More than 500 international students were trapped since roads and bridges out of the city had been destroyed and fighting was reported in the streets of Sumy.[28]
Zhyvytskyi stated on 8 March that 22 civilians and four soldiers were killed overnight due to a Russian airstrike hitting a residential area.[29] An evacuation of civilians from the city began during the day under an agreement for a humanitarian corridor reached with Russia. Zhyvytskyi later stated that about 5,000 people were evacuated during the day.[30][31]
Russian prisoners of war captured during the battle.
On 21 March, an airstrike damaged a fertilizer factory in Sumy, leaking out ammonia and contaminating the surrounding ground.[32] Russia denied that it was responsible and instead suggested the incident was a false flag operation by Ukraine.[33]
On 4 April 2022, Governor Zhyvytskyi declared that Russian troops no longer occupied any towns or villages in Sumy Oblast and had mostly withdrawn.[1] According to Zhyvytskyi, Ukrainian troops were working to push out the remaining units.[1] On 8 April 2022, he stated that all Russians troops had left Sumy Oblast, but it was still unsafe due to rigged explosives and other ammunition Russian troops had left behind.[34]
Renewed skirmishes[]
Despite Russian forces withdrawing fully from Sumy Oblast by early April, airstrikes continued throughout April and May. In mid-May, Russian troops made numerous attempted border crossings in the Sumy area.[35] On 17 May, 5 civilians were wounded by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast.[36]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Russian troops no longer hold any settlements in Ukraine's Sumy region, says governor, National Post (4 April 2022)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Бои под Сумами: артиллерия и "Байрактары" уничтожили 100 танков и 20 "Градов" оккупантов". https://apostrophe.ua/news/society/2022-02-28/boi-pod-sumami-artilleriya-i-bayraktaryi-unichtojili-100-tankov-i-20-gradov-okkupantov/260916.
- ↑ "More than 100 Russian servicemen taken prisoner in Sumy region". https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3427167-more-than-100-russian-servicemen-taken-prisoner-in-sumy-region.html.
- ↑ "Зеленський підписав указ про загальну мобілізацію" (in uk-UA). 25 February 2022. https://24tv.ua/zelenskiy-pidpisav-ukaz-pro-zagalnu-mobilizatsiyu_n1877861.
- ↑ Христенко, Лілія (27 February 2022). "У результаті бойових дій загинули два захисники з Білопілля. Про це 27 лютого повідомив Білопільський міський голова Юрій Зарко". https://suspilne.media/211837-u-rezultati-bojovih-dij-zaginuli-dva-zahisniki-z-bilopilla-sumskoi-oblasti/.
- ↑ "На Сумщині в боротьбі з диверсантами загинули двоє прикордонників". https://hromadske.ua/posts/na-sumshini-v-borotbi-z-diversantami-zaginuli-dvoye-prikordonnikiv.
- ↑ Skakun, Serhey (26 February 2022). "На Сумщині за день близько сотні поранених, 4 – загиблих" (in uk-UA). Dancor Online. http://dancor.sumy.ua/news/newsline/410054. "Суми: поранених 12"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "У Сумах обстріляли цивільне авто з дорослими та дітьми — загинула жінка". 27 February 2022. https://suspilne.media/211810-u-sumah-obstrilali-avto-zaginula-zinka/.
- ↑ "ГОЛОВНЕ ЗА ДЕНЬНОВИНИТОП ТЕМА При обстрілах Сум загинули троє". 27 February 2022. https://rama.com.ua/pri-obstrilah-sum-zaginuli-troie/.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Russian forces attack residential area, killing one". https://zn.ua/UKRAINE/rossijskij-vrah-atakoval-zhiloj-massiv-v-sumakh-ubiv-hrazhdanskoho.html.
- ↑ "Sumy governor: More than 100 civilians killed". 14 April 2022. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20220414_34/.
- ↑ "Ukrainian soldiers clash with Russians in a fierce fight near Sumy, a regional capital located near the border with Russia." (in en-US). 24 February 2022. https://kyivindependent.com/uncategorized/ukrainian-soldiers-clash-with-russians-in-a-fierce-fight-near-sumy-a-regional-capital-located-near-the-border-with-russia/.
- ↑ JulianRoepcke (24 February 2022). "#Breaking #NewsMap The Putin regime army captured the city of #Sumy (264.000 inhabitants) in N-E #Ukraine. There seems to be no fighting and Russia tanks control the center. #PutinAtWar https://t.co/Fmjrt7BwZ9" (in en). https://twitter.com/JulianRoepcke/status/1496879377749098496.
- ↑ JulianRoepcke (24 February 2022). "Heavy urban fighting in Sumy. Seems some Ukrainian partisans are fighting the Russian occupiers. https://t.co/s7mmAsNcRb" (in en). https://twitter.com/JulianRoepcke/status/1496951189610840064.
- ↑ BNONews (25 February 2022). "WATCH: Heavy urban fighting in the Ukrainian city of Sumy – NYT". https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1497008145893400577.
- ↑ "Росія атакувала українські міста: де відбулися бої" (in uk-UA). https://24tv.ua/rosiya-atakuvala-ukrayinski-mista-de-vidbulisya-boyi_n1877474.
- ↑ "У Сумах біля артучилища знову почався бій: горить церква – відео з місця події" (in uk-UA). https://24tv.ua/sumah-bilya-artuchilishha-znovu-pochavsya-biy-gorit-tserkva_n1877748.
- ↑ "Ворог відступив: у Сумах біля кадетського корпусу закінчився переможний бій" (in uk-UA). https://24tv.ua/vorog-vidstupiv-sumah-bilya-kadetskogo-korpusu-zakinchivsya-peremozhniy_n1877934.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 The Kyiv Independent [KyivIndependent] (26 February 2022). "⚡️President's Office: Sumy fully returned to Ukrainian control. Presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych wrote that despite earlier reports that half the city was under Russian control, it has now returned fully to Ukrainian control." (in en). https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1497657843629109256.
- ↑ "Ukraine's Sumy city says fighting under way on streets" (in en). National Post. 26 February 2022. https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/ukraines-sumy-city-says-fighting-under-way-on-streets.
- ↑ "Russian invasion update: Ukrainian forces destroy convoy of fuel trucks in Sumy" (in en). https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3413585-russian-invasion-update-ukrainian-forces-destroy-convoy-of-fuel-trucks-in-sumy.html.
- ↑ Vlasova, Iryna (27 February 2022). "При обстрілах Сум загинули троє" (in uk-UA). Панорама. https://rama.com.ua/pri-obstrilah-sum-zaginuli-troie/.
- ↑ "A large column of Russian vehicles is pushing into the city of Sumy from the side of Khimprom" (in en-US). 27 February 2022. https://kyivindependent.com/uncategorized/a-large-column-of-russian-vehicles-is-pushing-into-the-city-of-sumy-from-the-side-of-khimprom/.
- ↑ "In Sumy the occupants fired at a civilian car". http://www.vsisumy.com/news/misto/u-sumah-okupanti-obstrilyali-avt.
- ↑ Amelina, Kateryna (27 February 2022). "На Сумщине россияне ворвались в продуктовый магазин и воруют еду. Видео" (in ru). https://news.liga.net/politics/news/na-sumschine-rossiyane-vorvalis-v-produktovyy-magazin-i-voruyut-edu-video.
- ↑ Reuters (2022-03-01). "Over 70 Ukrainian troops killed in military base shelling - governor" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/over-70-ukrainian-troops-killed-military-base-shelling-governor-2022-03-01/.
- ↑ "Russian missile strikes Sumy, 5 wounded". Pravda. 3 March 2022. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/03/3/7327655/. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ↑ "Sumy: more than 500 international students trapped in Ukrainian town battered by shelling". 3 March 2022. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/03/sumy-more-than-500-international-students-trapped-in-ukrainian-town-battered-by-shelling.
- ↑ Nseyen, Nsikak (2022-03-08). "Russia invasion: Four Ukrainian soldiers, 10 others killed in Sumy" (in en-US). https://dailypost.ng/2022/03/08/russia-invasion-four-ukrainian-soldiers-10-others-killed-in-sumy/.
- ↑ Sam Jones (8 March 2022). "Two children among at least 21 killed in Sumy airstrikes, officials say". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/08/two-children-among-killed-in-sumy-airstrikes-officials-say.
- ↑ "Ukraine's task is to hold off Russia for 7-10 days-senior official". Reuters. 9 March 2022. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-task-is-hold-off-russia-7-10-days-senior-official-2022-03-09/.
- ↑ France-Presse, Guardian staff and Agence (21 March 2022). "Ukrainian town told to shelter after shelling causes ammonia leak at chemical factory" (in en). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/ukrainian-town-told-to-shelter-after-shelling-causes-ammonia-leak-at-chemical-factory.
- ↑ Examiner, Victor I. Nava, Washington. "Ammonia leak reported at Ukraine chemical plant after Russian airstrike" (in en). https://gazette.com/news/us-world/ammonia-leak-reported-at-ukraine-chemical-plant-after-russian-airstrike/article_8c58a574-54c1-5723-91e6-6842308c1fa0.html.
- ↑ Kalatur, Anastasiya (8 April 2022). "Sumy region liberated from Russian troops". Ukrayinska Pravda. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/04/8/7338013/.
- ↑ Strozewski, Zoe (2022-05-16). "Russian sneak attack on Sumy area fails, Putin forces lose Ukrainian ground" (in en). https://www.newsweek.com/russian-sneak-attack-sumy-area-fails-putin-forces-lose-ukrainian-ground-1706966.
- ↑ "Oleh Novikov 🇺🇦 on Twitter: "The Russian army shelled Okhtyrka Sumy region in the early morning, at least 5 were wounded – region official"" (in en). https://twitter.com/olehbatkovych/status/1526462808233328642.
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The original article can be found at Battle of Sumy and the edit history here.