From: Kyiv Independent by Tim Zadorozhnyy

Ukrainian forces have pushed back Russian troops in Sumy Oblast, disrupting Moscow’s attempts to expand its foothold in the region, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 26.
Russia opened a new front in Sumy Oblast in early June, capturing around a dozen border villages. The push followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s May declaration that Moscow aimed to create a “security buffer zone” along Ukraine’s northeastern border.
“Although this region remains one of the priority areas for the enemy, our forces consistently block Russian attempts to advance deeper into Sumy Oblast from the border,” Zelensky wrote following a report from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
“I thanked the Commander-in-Chief for managing to thwart the Russian plan for the Sumy region. Our active actions in Sumy Oblast continue, and I am grateful to each unit that is gradually pushing the Russian forces out.”