Wikipedia

Russian occupation of Sumy Oblast

The Russian occupation of Sumy Oblast was a military occupation that began on 24 February 2022, when Russian forces invaded Ukraine and began capturing parts of the Sumy Oblast. The capital of the Oblast, Sumy, was never captured by Russian forces, however, other cites were captured including Konotop and Trostianets. On 7 April, Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, governor of Sumy Oblast, said that all Russian troops had left the region, but it was still unsafe due to rigged explosives and other ammunition Russian troops had left behind.[1]

Russian occupation of Sumy Oblast
Part of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Sumy Oblast:

  Ukrainian territory never occupied
  Ukrainian territory liberated from occupation

Native name Російська окупація Сумської області
Российская оккупация Сумской области
Date24 February 2022–7 April 2022
(1 month and 2 weeks)
LocationSumy Oblast, Ukraine

Occupation

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Konotop

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On 25 February, Russian forces captured the city of Konotop, 90 kilometres (56 mi) from the Russian border.[2][3]

On 2 March, Artem Seminikhin, the mayor of Konotop, stated that Russian forces in the city warned him that they would shell the city if the residents resisted them. Russian vehicles, deployed outside the City Council, were surrounded by locals.[4] Seminikhin asked the residents of the city whether they wanted to fight or surrender, whereupon the residents "overwhelmingly" refused to surrender.[5][6] Later in the day, city authorities negotiated with Russian forces, with talks lasting 12 minutes. An agreement was reached under which Russian forces accepted not to change the city's government, deploy troops in the city, obstruct transportation, or remove the Ukrainian flag. In return, the city officials agreed that the residents would not attack Russian forces.[7]

On 7 March, the Ukrainian General Staff assessed that Russian forces at Konotop had taken 50 percent losses and were forced to regroup and resupply.[8] On 15 March, Ukrainian and Russian forces agreed to open a humanitarian corridor to evacuate citizens from Konotop.[9] On 28 March, Russian forces destroyed a bridge in Konotop.[10]

On 2 April, it was reported that the Russian army maintained a corridor in Konotop Raion through which equipment from Kyiv and Chernihiv could be withdrawn to Russia.[11] On 3 April, Ukrainian MP Olexander Kachura [uk] stated on Twitter that all Russian forces had left Konotop Raion.[12] On 4 April 2022 Sumy Oblast's Governor 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.[13]

On 5 April, Governor Zhyvytsky stated that the bodies of at least three tortured civilians had been found in the Konotop Raion.[14]

 
Remnants of a Russian column ambushed by Ukrainian forces on 17 March 2022.

Romny Raion

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On the evening of February 24, the first day of the Russian invasion, two convoys of Russian soldiers coming from the cities of Nedryhailiv and Konotop (east and north of Romny, respectively) made their way in the direction of Romny.[15] Between February 26 and 27, more Russian vehicles headed towards Romny from Krasnopillia, bypassing Sumy. According to the head of Romny Raion, Denis Vashchenko, there were no wounded, killed, or shelling during this time. The second convoy was bombed by Ukrainian forces before it reached Romny.[16] On February 28, Russian forces attacked the Romny Correctional Colony. Meanwhile that same day, Russian forces crushed a civilian in the village of Pohozha Krynytsia [uk] when he attempted to use his car to block Russian tanks passing through.[17]

On the first day of March, Russian forces captured the villages of Bilovods'ke and Bobryk, just south of Romny, which had been contested in previous days.[18][19][20] On March 4, after negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, Romny was selected as a humanitarian corridor for civilians fleeing Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv oblasts.[21] That same day, civilians from the village of Spartak attempted to block Russian vehicles passing from Nedryhailiv to Romny. They succeeded in blocking the road, although an ensuing attack by the Russians resulted in one civilian dying.[22] Later that evening on March 4, Russian forces blocked the road from Lypova Dolyna towards Romny and Bilovod'ske, in southern Romny Raion, while the highway between Nedryhailiv and Romny was still under Ukrainian control. During the night between March 4 and 5, Russian soldiers destroyed a poultry farm, killed around 100,000 poultry and causing an estimated one million hryvnias worth of damage.[23]

On March 5, three out of four hostages who were taken by Russian troops were released, according to Vashchenko. That same day, Russian soldiers standing on the road fired at Ukrainian TDF troops at a gas station, leaving one Ukrainian soldier killed and two wounded.[24] On the evening of March 5, Russian soldiers fired at two cars traveling from Sumy to Romny, in the village of Pustovyitivka. 3 civilians were wounded, and one civilian was killed in the shooting.[25] Later that evening, in the village of Skripali' in Romny raion, Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian column, and killed an unspecified number of soldiers.[26] In the evening between March 5 and 6, shots were fired in Pustoviitivka and Romny, with no injuries. The shooting in Romny, however, knocked out electricity for parts of the town.[27]

On March 11, Vashchenko reported that Ukrainian forces unblocked the road between Romny and Lokhvytsia, allowing civilians to flee southwards. That morning near Romny, police and Ukrainian TDF discovered and detained 29 Russian soldiers in a field, all of whom claimed to be lost.[28][29][30] The next day on March 12, green corridors were established in Sumy Oblast, where civilians from Sumy, Trostianets, Konotop, Lebedyn, Velyka Pysarivka, and Krasnopillia could flee towards Poltava Oblast.[31] Humanitarian corridors restarted again on March 18.[32] The Ukrainian General Staff reported on March 19 that the 1st Guards Tank Army of Russia began to concentrate efforts on surrounding Sumy, while also attempting offensives in Trostianets, Pryluky, and Romny, although these offensives did not succeed.[32]

Okhtyrka

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In Okhtyrka, by April 21, only 24,000 of the town's original population of 48,000 were left.[33] Residents of Trostianets who survived the occupation stated that as soon as the Russian forces got there, they began firing upon Okhtyrka.[34] Despite never entering the town, much of Okhtyrka was destroyed in bombing raids carried out by the Russian army.[34]

Trostianets

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The destroyed railway station "Trostianets-Smorodino"

As part of an offensive towards Kyiv, columns of tanks from the Russian 4th Guards Tank Division first passed through Trostianets on 24 February, with no real plans of occupying the city.[35][36][37] However, the offensive quickly began to stall due to Ukrainian resistance west and southwest of Trostianets, and the detonation of a bridge south of the city.[35][37][38] As a result, Trostianets, which was first envisioned as "little more than a speed bump" in Russian plans to swiftly take Kyiv, was occupied by a garrison of Russian troops on 1 March.[35][39]

About a dozen checkpoints were established in and around the city.[35] The main train station served as the Russian headquarters,[37] and the police station and airfield also came under occupation.[36] The number of Russian troops occupying Trostianets has been variously estimated between 300 and 800.[35][36] Separatist militiamen from Donetsk and Luhansk arrived in the city following a mid-March troop rotation,[35][37] and the presence of contingents of Buryat and South Ossetian fighters has also been reported.[36] Units of the elite 4th Guards Tank Division, including the 12th and 13th Guards Tank Regiments, are reported to have been among the occupying forces.[40][41]

 
Destruction near the Smorodino locomotive depot

During the occupation, Ukrainian police officers remained in the city incognito, supporting both local civilians and partisan forces operating in the area.[35] The town's mayor, Yuriy Bova, hid in nearby villages, receiving some criticism for his decision not to stay in town, but continued to coordinate Ukrainian resistance, including shelling of Russian positions.[38]

The Russian occupying force allegedly engaged in widespread looting,[35][36][42] and Guardian journalists found evidence of torture and summary executions in the city.[38] Residents of Trostianets during the occupation stated that people were shot in the streets.[43] Unless neighbors or other civilians carried in the bodies of the dead, they would be left in the streets.[43] These included the bodies of dead Russian troops, who were left there following the Russian retreat.[43] Bova stated that at least 50 civilians were killed under Russian occupation.[38] According to residents, two civilians were also killed in the neighboring village of Bilka, Okhtyrka Raion [uk], which the Russians occupied on 2 March.[38]

Zhyvytskyi stated that Russian troops in Trostianets laid mines everywhere, including the town cemetery.[43] After the Russian withdrawal, seven civilians were killed and at least two wounded due to traps laid by Russian soldiers across the town.[44]

Ukrainian counterattack

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A Ukrainian counteroffensive recaptured the city on 26 March.[42][35] During the fighting, the town's hospital was shelled, with residents blaming Russian forces.[35] After combat and shelling around the outskirts of the city, Russian troops largely withdrew overnight before the arrival of Ukrainian forces.[45] An AFP report recorded "a dozen" destroyed or damaged tanks and armored vehicles.[37] The New York Times reported that food had grown scarce by the time the city was recaptured by Ukraine.[35]

Control of cities

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This table is an excerpt from Territorial control during the Russo-Ukrainian War § Sumy Oblast.[edit]
Name Pop. Raion Held by As of More information
Buryn 8,359 Konotop   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 Captured by   Russia 24 February 2022.[47][48]
Recaptured by   Ukraine 4 April 2022.
Hlukhiv 32,248 Hlukhiv   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 Captured by   Russia 25 February 2022.
Recaptured by   Ukraine 4 April 2022.
Konotop 84,787 Konotop   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 Captured by   Russia 25 February 2022.
Recaptured by   Ukraine 4 April 2022.
Krolevets 22,437 Konotop   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022
Lebedyn 24,238 Lebedyn   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 See Battle of Lebedyn
Okhtyrka 47,216 Okhtyrka   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 See Battle of Okhtyrka
Putyvl 15,100 Konotop   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 Captured by   Russia 27 February 2022.
Recaptured by   Ukraine 2 April 2022.
Romny 38,305 Romny   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022
Ryzhivka 854 Sumy Gray zone[49][50] 12 Jun 2024 Uncontrolled before 9 June 2024.[50]
Raided by   Russia on 9 June 2024.[50]
Uncontrolled since 10 June 2024.[49]
Shostka 73,197 Shostka   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022
Sumy 259,660 Sumy   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 See Battle of Sumy, Sumykhimprom ammonia leak, October missile strikes
Trostianets 19,797 Okhtyrka   Ukraine[46] 6 Apr 2022 Captured by   Russia 1 March 2022.
Recaptured by   Ukraine 26 March 2022.

See also

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Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ Kalatur, Anastasiya (8 April 2022). "Sumy region liberated from Russian troops". Ukrayinska Pravda. Retrieved 15 April 2022.
  2. ^ Ward, Alexander (25 February 2022). "'Almost not possible' for Ukraine to win without West's help, Ukraine official says". Politico. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Ukraine war news from February 25: Kyiv suburbs breached, Russian forces face resistance, Zelensky warns Russia will 'storm' capital". Financial Times. 26 February 2022. ISSN 0307-1766. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
  4. ^ "As Russian invaders demand that Konotop surrender, mayor explicitly defies threats". www.ukrinform.net. 2 March 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  5. ^ Valeria Polischuk. "Мер Конотопа: місту поставили ультиматум – за опір накриють артилерією". RBC Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  6. ^ Khavin, Dmitriy; Botti, David; Tiefenthäler, Ainara (2 March 2022). "Mayor in Ukraine asks his city's residents whether they wish to fight or surrender". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  7. ^ Natalia Gurkovskaya. "Бої на Сумщині – влада Конотопа провела переговори з окупантами після ультиматуму". RBC Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  8. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 7". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  9. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 15". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  10. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 28". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  11. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, April 2". Institute for the Study of War. Archived from the original on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  12. ^ @SputnikATO (3 April 2022). "Конотопский район освобожден от российских оккупантов. Об этом сообщил нардеп Александр Качура. Еще вчера глава Сумской областной военной администрации Дмитрий Живицкий заявлял, что армия РФ находится в районе Белополья и Конотопа" (Tweet) (in Russian) – via Twitter.
  13. ^ Russian troops no longer hold any settlements in Ukraine's Sumy region, says governor, National Post (4 April 2022)
  14. ^ "Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky has reported that in Konotop district of Sumy Oblast, the Ukrainian military found the bodies of at least three tortured civilians". The Guardian. 6 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  15. ^ "Військове вторгнення Росії в Україну: що відбувається на Сумщині. ОНЛАЙН". Суспільне | Новини. March 3, 2022. Archived from the original on March 4, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  16. ^ Христенко, Лілія (2022-02-27). "Ворожа техніка через Сумщину продовжує курс на Київ. Тривають бої". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  17. ^ Скрипняк, Анна (2022-03-01). "На Сумщині російський танк переїхав цивільне авто, яке заважало руху колони. Водій загинув". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  18. ^ "Росіяни захопили підприємство на Сумщині, посадили снайперів, вимагають переговорів". Українська правда. Archived from the original on 2022-04-30. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  19. ^ "В Сумской области колонны военной техники РФ пошли на Ромны и Диброву". www.ukrinform.ru. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2022-07-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  20. ^ "У Роменському районі військові РФ захопили елеватор Дружба нова". Archived from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2022-07-26.
  21. ^ "Без електрики Лебедин та частково Охтирка. В Сумах триває відновлення електропостачання". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-04. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  22. ^ Юлія Ніколаєва, Катерина Ворона, Суспільне (2022-04-19). ""Збирали брата по шматках…" — на Сумщині російські військові розстріляли чоловіка із БТРа". Суспільне Новини (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  23. ^ Юлія Ніколаєва, Анна Скрипняк, Суспільне (2022-04-20). ""Наробили багато шкоди" – наслідки пограбування росіянами птахоферми у селі Вільшана на Сумщині". Суспільне Новини (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  24. ^ Стрельцов, Ігор (2022-02-27). "У Сумах обстріляли цивільне авто з дорослими та дітьми — загинула жінка". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  25. ^ "Обстріляна АЗС, цивільні машини та підстанція у Ромнах". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-06. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
  26. ^ "Військове вторгнення Росії в Україну: що відбувається на Сумщині. Тиждень другий. Онлайн". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  27. ^ "Обстріляна АЗС, цивільні машини та підстанція у Ромнах". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 6 March 2022. Archived from the original on 6 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
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  29. ^ "Поліціянти та тероборонівці затримали 29 військових РФ на Сумщині". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-11. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  30. ^ "На Сумщині затримали 29 військовослужбовців РФ". 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  31. ^ "На Сумщині запланували нову хвилю евакуації на 12 березня. Як і звідки можна виїхати до Полтави". Суспільне. Новини (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-12. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
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  33. ^ "In Ukrainian towns of Sumy, war began before Russian invasion and tension persists | Ground report". India Today. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  34. ^ a b ""Werenʼt you scared when you captured Donbas?" After a month of Russian occupation, Trostyanets recovers. Russian troops didnʼt enter Okhtyrka, but people are learning to live here anew — a long report". babel.ua. 2022-06-18. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Yermak, Natalia; Hicks, Tyler (3 April 2022). "'This is True Barbarity': Life and Death Under Russian Occupation". The New York Times.
  36. ^ a b c d e Reuter, Christoph (2022-03-29). "(S+) Ukraine: Wie die Stadt Trostjanez nach vier Wochen von den Russen befreit wurde". Der Spiegel (in German). ISSN 2195-1349. Archived from the original on 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  37. ^ a b c d e "Russians leave behind wreckage, hunger in Ukraine town of Trostyanets". France 24. Agence France-Presse. 2022-03-30. Archived from the original on 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
  38. ^ a b c d e Walker, Shaun (5 April 2022). "'Barbarians': Russian troops leave grisly mark on town of Trostianets". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  39. ^ "Trostyanets captured by aggressor – head of Regional Military Administration". Interfax-Ukraine. Archived from the original on 2022-03-08. Retrieved 2022-03-31.
  40. ^ "На Сумщині українець понад рік зберігав на подвір'ї трофейний танк РФ (фото)" (in Ukrainian). УНІАН. 2023-07-30.
  41. ^ "П'ятий тиждень повномасштабної війни Росії проти України: що відбувається на Сумщині. Онлайн". Suspilne (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  42. ^ a b Pahulych, Roman (30 March 2022). "Ukrainian Forces Recapture Eastern Town Near Russian Border". Radio Free Europe. Archived from the original on 1 April 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  43. ^ a b c d "Bodies, land mines and destruction: A Ukrainian region digs out after the Russian occupation". POLITICO. 2022-04-15. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  44. ^ "Five children killed by Russian mines and tripwires in Trostianets". www.ukrinform.net. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  45. ^ Rosa, Andrea; Dana, Felipe (2022-03-29). "After Russian forces pull back, a shattered town breathes". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  46. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Clark, Mason; Barros, George; Stepanenko, Kateryna (6 April 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 6". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 6 April 2022. Russian forces completely vacated Sumy Oblast.
  47. ^ Стрельцов, Ігор (4 April 2022). "Обстрілювали хати та підірвали міст. Як російські військові виходили з Конотопщини". Suspilne (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  48. ^ Гладенко, Катерина (20 April 2022). ""Обстріляна родина, снаряди, вкрадена корова". Жителі Бурині на Сумщині розповіли про військових РФ". Suspilne (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  49. ^ a b Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Hird, Karolina; Barros, George (12 June 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 12, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  50. ^ a b c Mappes, Grace; Wolkov, Nicole; Harward, Christina; Hird, Karolina; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Barros, George (10 June 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 10, 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 15 June 2024. Russian forces conducted a limited cross-border incursion into Sumy Oblast on June 9 but likely have not established a significant or enduring presence in this area. [...] Mysynk stated [...] that Ryzhivka is a contested "gray zone" because of its proximity to the international border. [...] Another milblogger claimed that elements of the Russian 228th Motorized Rifle Regiment [...] entered Novopokrovske [...] Geolocated footage published on June 10 shows that Russian forces advanced to northern Staromayorske [...] and have likely seized the whole settlement.
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