A series of border skirmishes has taken place along the

Russia–Ukraine border The Russia–Ukraine border is the international boundary between Russia and Ukraine. Over land, the border spans five Russian Oblast, oblasts and five Ukrainian oblasts. Due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in early 2014, the bo ...

Sumy Sumy (, , ) is a city in northeastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Sumy Oblast. The city is situated on the banks of the Psel (river), Psel River and has a population of making it the 23rd-largest in the country. The city ...

and Chernihiv Oblasts since the withdrawal of Russian troops from northern Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have stated that strikes across the border happen daily.

Background

By the 4th of April 2022, Russian forces had withdrawn from the

Sumy Oblast Sumy Oblast (), also known as Sumshchyna (), is an oblast (province) in northeast Ukraine. The oblast was created in its modern-day form, from the merging of raions from Kharkiv Oblast, Chernihiv Oblast, and Poltava Oblast in 1939 by the Presid ...

following the failure of the Russian offensive towards Kyiv, but shelling still continued across the border.

Incidents

March 2022

Local authorities in the

Kursk Oblast Kursk Oblast (, ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Kursk. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, Kursk Oblast had a pop ...

announced on 29 March that a border checkpoint had been shelled from Ukrainian territory. The location in Ukraine from which the shelling was carried out was reportedly struck in return. The same day, according to Sumy Oblast governor Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, the Russian military blew up one of its own

BTR BTR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * B.T.R. (band), a Bulgarian rock band * Bad Trip Records, an American record label * Beyond Therapy Records, an American industrial music record label * Big Tent Revival, a Christian rock band * Big T ...

s at the

Ryzhivka Ryzhivka (; ) is a village in Sumy Raion (district) in Sumy Oblast of northeastern Ukraine, on the left bank of the Seim river, at some hundred meters of the Russia–Ukraine border. It belongs to , one of the hromadas of Ukraine. History Th ...

border checkpoint, in order to provide a justification to destroy the Ukrainian border post there.

April 2022

The governor of the Kursk Oblast announced that a border post in the

Sudzhansky District Sudzhansky District () is an administrative and municipal district (raion), one of the twenty-eight in Kursk Oblast, Russia. Its administrative center is the town of Sudzha. It has a population of 25,119. Geography The area of the district is ...

had been shelled by mortars on 5 April, and that the points of origin, presumably in Ukraine, had been fired on in retaliation. On 9 April, he announced that another border post had been shelled by mortars, this time in . The Russian border service and military returned fire into Ukraine. On 14 April, the Russian military shelled the village of Popivka, Okhtyrka Raion. According to the Ukrainian Border Guard Service, Russian troops fired at the Chernihiv Oblast twice on 28 April. The following day, more than 30 mortars were fired into the Sumy Oblast from the Russian settlement of . Explosions were reported in the

Shostka Raion Shostka Raion () is a raion (district) of Sumy Oblast in central Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion is the town of Shostka Shostka (, ) is a city in Sumy Oblast, northeastern Ukraine. Shostka serves as the administrative center of ...

May 2022

The Russian military shelled

Hlukhiv Hlukhiv (, ; ) is a small historic List of cities in Ukraine, city on the Esman River. It belongs to Shostka Raion of Sumy Oblast of Ukraine. Population: It is known for being a capital of the Cossack Hetmanate after the deposition of Ivan M ...

with rocket launchers on 8-9 May, damaging a

Jew Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

ish cemetery. On 12 May, a civilian was killed due to the shelling. On 13 May, Russia fired on a border village in the Shostka district using unguided air missiles. As shelling continued, Russian forces defeated a few elements of the

Ukrainian Border Guard The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine ( SBGSU; , ; ) is the border guard of Ukraine. It is an independent law enforcement agency, organized by the Constitution of Ukraine as a military formation, the head of which is subordinated to the Pres ...

and entered Shostka district on 16 May. Fighting continued until 17 May, when the Russian forces withdrew. On 17 May 2022, an

airstrike An airstrike, air strike, or air raid is an offensive operation carried out by aircraft. Air strikes are delivered from aircraft such as blimps, balloons, fighter aircraft, attack aircraft, bombers, attack helicopters, and drones. The official d ...

by the

Russian Air Force The Russian Air Force () is a branch of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the latter being formed on 1 August 2015 with the merging of the Russian Air Force and the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the reb ...

hit the Desna barracks in Desna, killing 87. The next day, ten explosions were heard in Hlukhiv. On 21 May, 6 Russian air strikes and artillery hit the border settlement of Kucherivka. Planes of the

hit two villages in Shostka on 24 May. On 28 May, Russian warplanes targeted the Ukrainian border and fired on the border with mortars from the Russian village of . Russian forces used

flechettes A flechette or flèchette ( ) is a pointed, fin-stabilized steel projectile. The name comes from French (from \''wikt:flèche, flèche''), meaning "little arrow" or "Dart (missile), dart", and sometimes retains the grave accent in English: flè ...

on border villages in the Shostka district on 30 May. The flechettes were used to previously kill civilians in Bucha during the

Battle of Bucha The battle of Bucha was part of the Kyiv offensive (2022), Kyiv offensive in the Russian invasion of Ukraine for control of the city of Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, Bucha. The combatants were elements of the Russian Armed Forces and Ukrainian Ground Forc ...

earlier in the war. Russian forces shelled a village all night. According to

Kyiv Independent ''The Kyiv Independent'' is an English-language Ukrainian online newspaper founded in November 2021, three months before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, by former staff of the ''Kyiv Post'' and media consultancy Jnomics Media. The online ...

, Russian forces shelled at the border more than 20 times from the Russian village of Zyornovo.

June 2022

On 4 June, Russian aircraft destroyed a locality on the border from 6 missiles being deployed in Mykolayivka. Three hours later explosions blew up across

Velyka Pysarivka Raion Velyka Pysarivka Raion () was a raion in Sumy Oblast in Central Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was the urban-type settlement of Velyka Pysarivka. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Uk ...

in Sumy Oblast. Shelling was also reported in Novhorod-Siversky Raion in

Chernihiv Oblast Chernihiv Oblast (), also referred to as Chernihivshchyna (), is an administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) in northern Ukraine. The capital city, administrative center of the oblast is the city of Chernihiv. There are 1,511 sett ...

. On 8 June, Russian forces destroyed a building of the Ukrainian Border Control from the Russian border checkpoint of Troebortnoe. Russian forces fired 7 times on 10 June. The mortars and artillery were fired from Zyornovo and in Bryansk Oblast. Around four villages were destroyed in Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts. On 19 June, Russian forces fired mortars on the city of

Seredyna-Buda Seredyna-Buda () is a city in Shostka Raion of Sumy Oblast of northeastern Ukraine. It was the administrative center of Seredyna-Buda Raion until it was abolished on 18 July 2020. It is located on Bryansk to Konotop branch line and is served b ...

in Sumy Oblast. A huge fire was caused and residents had to evacuate the city. Russian forces fired 20 missiles into the town of Desna in Chernihiv Oblast on 25 June. Ukrainian officials claimed that the Russian military had fired the missiles from

Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...

. One person was killed and one injured as Russian troops fired on

Yunakivka Yunakivka is a village in Sumy Raion, Sumy Oblast. It is the capital of Yunakivka rural hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Its population is 12 (). History Yunakivka was founded in 1685 by sotnik S. Yunok, comprising lands he owned w ...

Bilopillia Bilopillia (, ) is a List of cities in Ukraine, city in Sumy Raion of Sumy Oblast of northeastern Ukraine. It was the administrative center of Bilopillia Raion until it was abolished on 18 July 2020. It is located close to Kursk Oblast of Russia ...

, Krasnopillia and

Shalyhyne Shalyhyne (; ) is a rural settlement in Shostka Raion, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. It is located on the banks of the Lapuha, a left tributary of the Kleven, in the drainage basin of the Dnieper. Shalyhyne hosts the administration of Shalyhyne settlem ...

on 26 June in Sumy Oblast. Around 150 projectiles were launched with Krasnopillia suffering the most, as Zhyvytskyi said "it was destroyed." On June 27, Zhyvytskyi stated that Russians attacked the

hromada In Ukraine, a hromada () is the main type of municipality and the third level Administrative divisions of Ukraine, local self-government in Ukraine. The current hromadas were established by the Cabinet of ministers of Ukraine, Government of Uk ...

s of Krasnopillia and Bilopillia, leaving one person injured. Shots were heard in Krasnopilla,

Velyka Pysarivka Velyka Pysarivka (, ) is a rural settlement in Sumy Oblast, northeastern Ukraine. It was formerly the administrative center of Velyka Pysarivka Raion, but is now administered within Okhtyrka Raion. It is located close to the border with Russia, on ...

, and

Khotin Khotyn (, ; , ; see other names) is a city in Dnistrovskyi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast of western Ukraine, located south-west of Kamianets-Podilskyi. It hosts the administration of Khotyn urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. According ...

on 30 June. Around 70 shots were fired on Krasnopilla, 10 missile strikes on Velyka Pysarivka, and 120mm mortars on Khotin. Mortar strikes were also reported in Semenivka.

July 2022

Russian forces shelled numerous border towns including Hlukhiv on July 1. Russian forces fired with artillery and mortars on Sumy Oblast 3 times on 3 July. Russian forces fired at Shalyhyne in Shostka Raion with 12 strikes recorded. Russian troops then fired on

Esman Esman (; ) is a rural settlement in Shostka Raion, Sumy Oblast, Ukraine. It is located on the left bank of the Esman river, a right tributary of the Kleven, in the drainage basin of the Dnieper. Esman hosts the administration of Esman settlemen ...

. Later that day, 14 mortar projectiles were launched again on Shalyhyne. On 4 July, a Russian helicopter fired at an Esman school. On 5 July, Russian troops launched a missile strike on the city of

Shostka Shostka (, ) is a city in Sumy Oblast, northeastern Ukraine. Shostka serves as the administrative center of Shostka Raion. Population: The city lies on the Shostka River, a tributary of the Desna (river), Desna, from which it gets its name. Sho ...

in which private enterprises were destroyed and around 24 residential buildings were damaged. Russian forces also fired on Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast. Russian forces fired on Shalyhyne, Bilopillia, Znob-Novhorodske and Krasnopillia on 12 July with Krasnopillia getting hit twice with rocket launchers. On 13 July, four villages in Sumy Oblast were shelled. On 16 July, Russian forces destroyed a farm and a school in Esman. On 17 July, Russian troops shelled Velyka Pysarivka, Krasnopillia, Khotin, Bilopillia, Shalyhyne, Nova Sloboda, Sumy Oblast, Esman, and Seredyna-Buda in Sumy Oblast as well as

Snovsk Snovsk ( ) is a city in Koriukivka Raion, Chernihiv Oblast (oblast, province) of Ukraine. Population: It hosts the administration of Snovsk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population was 12,315 in 2001. Name Historically, the ...

in Chernihiv Oblast. Explosions were reported on

on 18 July, with no casualties reported. Shalyhyne also suffered attacks as well as Khotin. was attacked from MRLS. On 24 July, Russian forces fired at the Sumy Oblast 12 times, primarily the villages of Shalyhyne, Mykolayivka, Bilopillia, Khotin, Yunakivka, and Krasnopillia. One person was reportedly killed and 2 military aircraft fired on Mykolayivka. Later that day, Ukrainian officials admitted that Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts were fired on every day. Explosions were heard across the border with Sumy Oblast where 55 were reported on 26 July. One woman was injured. The villages targeted were Esman, Krasnopillia, and Seredyna-Buda. Explosions were also heard in Chernihiv Oblast Over 20 explosions were reported. Russian forces shelled Sumy Oblast 44 times on 28 July. The same day Russian forces on Belarusian territory launched missiles on

Honcharivske Honcharivske () is a rural settlement in Chernihiv Raion, Chernihiv Oblast, northern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Honcharivske settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The territory of Honcharivske is located within the Dnie ...

in Chernihiv Oblast. Russian troops heavily shelled Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast on 29 July. The city's administrative building was heavily damaged.

March 2023

May-December 2023

March 2024

On 17 March, a Ukrainian

Mil Mi-24 The Mil Mi-24 (; NATO reporting name: Hind) is a large helicopter gunship, attack helicopter and low-capacity transport helicopter, troop transport with room for eight passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and was introduced ...

helicopter was shot down in Sumy Oblast near the

. On the same day, Russian sabotage groups failed to cross the border into Sumy after Ukrainian forces intercepted them.

April 2024

June 2024

Ukrainian forces struck Russian military targets on 1 and 2 June in Belgorod and Kursk oblasts, including a column of Russian vehicles in

Sudzha Sudzha (, ) is a town and the administrative center of Sudzhansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the Sudzha and Oleshnya rivers southwest of Kursk, the administrative center of the oblast. It has a population of 5,127 people. ...

. Ukrainian sources stated that the column consisted of 18 Russian vehicles. Additionally, Russian governmental and milblogger sources reported that a Ukrainian

MLRS A multiple rocket launcher (MRL) or multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a type of rocket artillery system that contains multiple launchers which are fixed to a single platform, and shoots its rocket ordnance in a fashion similar to a vol ...

strike on

Shebekino Shebekino () is a town in Belgorod Oblast, Russia, located on the Nezhegol River, southeast of Belgorod. Population: It is the administrative center, though not part of, Shebekinsky District. In June 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukrai ...

killed the Deputy Head of Korochansky Raion, Igor Nechiporenko, and injured several other local administrators. Both Russian and Ukrainian sources reported on 2 June that both sides were transferring personnel to the Sumy-Kursk border. On 9 June, a Ukrainian fixed-wing crewed aircraft struck a Russian command post in Belgorod Oblast, marking the first time a crewed Ukrainian airplane has performed a strike on Russian territory. On 9 June,

Ramzan Kadyrov Ramzan Akhmatovich Kadyrov (born 5 October 1976) is a Russian politician and current head of the Chechen Republic. He was formerly affiliated with the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, Chechen independence movement, through his father who was the ...

, the head of Chechnya, stated that the Russians captured the village of

in Sumy Oblast of Ukraine, located near the border, next to the Russian settlement of

Tyotkino Tyotkino () is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) on the left bank of the Seym river in Glushkovsky District of Kursk Oblast, Russia. Population: Geography It is on a small salient of Russian territory, with the Russia–Ukra ...

. The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service and President Zelenskyy denied that the village was under Chechen control. Geolocated footage confirmed that Russian forces had entered the village and had advanced 730 meters inside Ukraine. The ISW assessed that the incursions "have not established a significant or enduring presence in this area". By 12 June, Ukrainian State Border Guard Service Spokesmen Andriy Demchenko stated that there was "almost no" activity of Russian forces operating in the Sumy direction.

July 2024

On 1 July, geolocated footage showed Ukrainian forces engaged in combat with another Russian cross-border raiding party at Zhuravka in Sumy Oblast. The Ukrainian General Staff reported the next day that Russian forces were conducting sabotage and reconnaissance activities in Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts. Geolocated footage showed a limited Russian presence in the forest outside Zhuravka. On 3 July, Russian forces continued to launch limited cross-border raids in Sumy oblast, with the oblast's head Volodymyr Artyukh reporting that the Russian forces weren't large enough to warrant a full incursion. The ISW assessed that the raids were meant to distract Ukraine and draw resources from the

front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * '' The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and ...

north of

Kharkiv Kharkiv, also known as Kharkov, is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city in Ukraine.

. On 18 July, Russian forces reportedly conducted a limited and unsuccessful cross-border raid into Sumy Oblast, failing to break through to Chuikivka, Rozhkovychi, and Sytne. On 31 July, a Russian insider source claimed that Ukrainian forces had ambushed elements of the Russian 322nd Spetsnaz Training Center in the Semenivskyi Raion,

border area. The report claimed that 5 Russian Spetsnaz personnel were killed in the ambush, and that it had been covered up in order to save face in the wake of the defeat of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

personnel at an incident in

Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...

August 2024

On 9 August, Russian authorities said that one person was killed in an aerial attack on the border town of

which also injured two people and damaged nine apartment buildings, 18 houses and 10 vehicles.

November 2024

On 15 November, a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group conducted a limited incursion into Chernihiv Oblast raising the Russian flag over an abandoned apartment building without establishing any permanent presence in the villages of Hremyach,

Kolos Kolos may refer to: ;People * Kolos (name), a first or last name ;Sports * Kolos (sports society), a Ukrainian sports society * Kolos Stadium (Boryspil), a multifunctional stadium in Boryspil, Ukraine * FC Kolos Bykovo, a soccer team based in Byk ...

, Novoselydivka and Muravi. The Ukrainian State Border Service reported that the area where the raid took place is cut off from the rest of Ukraine by a river and are abandoned. The next day, Ukrainian drones destroyed the Russian flags in Chernihiv.

December 2024

On 9 December 2024, Russian troops re-entered Sumy Oblast.

January 2025

On 10 January 2025, geolocated footage showed Russian forces crossing the international border and entering Sumy Oblast, advancing west of Zhuravka and south of the village of Prokhody. Ivan Shevtsov, spokesman for Ukraine’s

Steel Border Brigade The Steel Border Brigade also known as the 15th Mobile Border Guard Detachment "Steel Border" () is an assault brigade of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine and part of the Offensive Guard. History The military unit was created in Januar ...

said on 14 January 2025 that Russian drones were actively hunting Ukrainian soldiers in Sumy Oblast and that the brigade was "in areas of active combat in Sumy Oblast and along the state border with Russia".

March 2025

On 7 March 2025, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces had advanced northwest of

Basivka Basivka (; ) may refer to: * Basivka, Lviv Oblast * Basivka, Sumy Oblast {{place name disambiguation ...

and were concentrating forces in Novenke.

References