Ukraine Claims 108 Russians Killed in Seven-Week Sumy Operation

Ukrainian special forces killed 108 Russian soldiers, captured another 29, and struck more than 1,100 Russian targets during a seven-week operation in Sumy Oblast, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) reported on October 20, according to the Kyiv Independent.

According to HUR’s Active Operations Department, the operation was carried out by its Group 10 special forces unit, which reportedly thwarted Russian offensive plans and prevented Russian troops from cutting off Ukrainian logistical routes in the region. The unit also wounded 157 Russian soldiers during the raid, conducted in two stages with 40 special forces personnel involved in the active phase.

Over the course of seven weeks, Ukrainian operatives cleared Russian troops from more than 600 hectares of forest before handing over the positions to Ukraine’s Defense Forces, the intelligence agency said. Ukrainian forces struck more than 1,100 targets, including UAV ground control stations, artillery systems, vehicles and fortifications.

“The primary objective has been achieved”

“The primary objective has been achieved!” stated the Department of Active Measures of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, affirming the success of Group 10’s operation. HUR did not specify the exact location of the operation or when it took place, and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the claims.

The operation forms part of Ukraine’s broader campaign to defend its territory. Separately, on September 28, Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps reported further territorial gains in northern Donetsk Oblast as part of Operation Vivaldi, a counteroffensive that had reclaimed a total of 176 square kilometres, inflicting more than 2,000 Russian casualties and capturing over 250 Russian soldiers, according to the corps.

Slowing the Russian advance

Ukraine’s defensive operations reduced the pace of Russia’s territorial advances by more than half in the first six months of 2026, then-Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on July 10. The Sumy claims come as both sides continue daily long-range strikes, with Ukrainian drones also hitting Russian energy infrastructure — including a fire at an oil pumping station in Russia’s Tambov Oblast, according to monitoring channels.

Russia has not publicly commented on the HUR claims.