Russia says it captures village in Ukraine's Sumy region

Russia captures Ukrainian village Zhuravka, intensifying military activity on border, as Ukrainian forces resist incursion.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday (April 11, 2025) its forces had captured the village of Zhuravka in Ukraine’s northern border region of Sumy, although Ukrainian officials made no acknowledgement that it had been taken.

Moscow has long staged air attacks on the region opposite Russia’s region of Kursk, from which it is trying to evict remaining Ukrainian forces eight months after they launched a cross-border incursion and seized large chunks of territory.

Ukrainian officials said there was intensified Russian military activity on their side of the border but gave no acknowledgement that Zhuravka had fallen into Russian hands.

Four days ago, Moscow said its forces had seized another village in the region, Basivka, a claim denied by Ukrainian officials.

The latest report by Russia’s defence ministry made no further comment beyond saying its troops were in control of Zhuravka.

Russian state news agency Tass quoted security sources as saying the advance brought Russian forces closer to a third locality, Yunakivka, which it said served as a logistics hub serving Ukrainian forces fighting across the border in Kursk.

Sumy region governor Volodymyr Artiukh told regional defence officials that Russian attacks in the area had intensified 30% over the past week.