About 100 Russian occupiers entered Hrabivske in Sumy region, - Trehubov
Russian units numbering about 100 people attacked the village of Hrabivske and are trying to gain a foothold in its south and advance towards the village of Riasne.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported on the air of "Suspilne. Studio" by Viktor Trehubov, head of the communications department of the Joint Forces Group.
He noted that the attack was sudden and that fighting is currently ongoing in the village.
According to Trehubov, Russian units are trying to gain a foothold in the southern part of Hrabivske.
"Currently, Russian units are consolidating their positions in the southern part of Hrabivske. Ukrainian forces are trying to dislodge them from their positions. Fighting continues in the village," he said.
The problem of border villages
Trehubov stressed that settlements located directly on the border with Russia remain vulnerable.
According to him, it is only possible to secure such villages by creating a zone of control by Ukrainian troops several kilometres deep into Russian territory, which would make sudden infantry incursions impossible.
What preceded this?
- Earlier, the media reported that Russians had entered a border village in Sumy region and taken away about 50 people.
- The Armed Forces of Ukraine later confirmed this information.
- In turn, Viktor Trehubov, head of the communications department of the Joint Forces, noted that this was a local provocation, not a large-scale breakthrough.
- Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on the international community to respond to Russia's abduction of 50 civilians from the village of Hrabivske in Sumy region.
- On 22 December, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that among the 52 civilians taken by Russian occupiers from the village of Hrabivske in the Sumy region were children. Ukrainian military personnel were also taken prisoner by Russia.
