--- title: "AFU Counteroffensive: How Ukrainian Forces Thwarted Russia's Plans in Sumy Oblast and Regained the Initiative" description: "Ukrainian forces thwarted the RF offensive in Sumy Oblast by conducting successful counterattacks. ISW confirms the loss of initiative by Russian forces on several fronts." date: 2026-08-19T05:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/afu-thwarted-rf-offensive-in-sumy-oblast-isw-en tags: [ukraine-war, isw-report, sumy-region, counterattack, russia-military-failure] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # AFU Counteroffensive: How Ukrainian Forces Thwarted Russia's Plans in Sumy Oblast and Regained the Initiative ![Ukrainian soldiers in trenches in Sumy region during counteroffensive](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/19/vsu-sorvali-nastuplenie-rf-v-sumskoy-oblasti-isw/vsu-sorvali-nastuplenie-rf-v-sumskoy-oblasti-isw-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - AFU successfully counterattacked in the Mogrytsia and Sadky area, thwarting the RF offensive. - Russian forces lost more territory than they captured in the last month. - The RF Ministry of Defense denies failures, but ISW data and geolocation confirm the opposite. - Ukraine advanced in the direction of Borova, confirmed by video recordings. August 19, 2026, marked a turning point on the northeastern front: Ukrainian forces not only repelled a new offensive attempt by Russian forces in Sumy Oblast but also launched successful counterattacks, forcing the enemy to retreat. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), on August 17 and 18, Russian forces carried out limited offensive operations to the northeast of Sumy — in the Mogrytsia and Sadky area. However, their advance was halted by the determined actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), which not only held their positions but also went on a local offensive. ### Tactical Success of the AFU: Counterattack in the Mogrytsia and Sadky Area One of the Russian military bloggers, whose materials were analyzed by ISW analysts, admitted that Ukrainian fighters successfully counterattacked near the settlements of Mogrytsia and Sadky. This confirms that the initiative on this section of the front has temporarily passed to the Ukrainian side. Russian units attempting to advance encountered organized defense and active retaliatory strikes, leading to their forced withdrawal. According to ISW, in the last month, Russian occupiers have lost more territory than they captured near Volchansk — a key direction to the northeast of Kharkiv. ### Failures of the RF on Other Fronts: Kharkiv, Kupiansk, Burshtyn In addition to Sumy Oblast, Russian forces attempted to advance on other sections of the front. On August 17 and 18, they attempted offensives in the north of Kharkiv Oblast, but failed to achieve success. A similar situation unfolded in the direction of Burshtyn and in the Kupiansk area — all attempts to break through were stopped by the Ukrainian defense. At the same time, Ukrainian forces continued to advance in the direction of Borova. Geolocated video recordings published on August 15 show shelling of Russian positions north of Novomykhailivka (southeast of Borova), indicating recent AFU advances in this area. ### Contradictory Data: RF Ministry of Defense Claims vs. Facts on the Battlefield The Ministry of Defense of Russia continues to claim "stable progress" on certain sections of the front, including the Volchansk area. However, these statements directly contradict ISW data and independent sources. American analysts emphasize that Russian claims of progress are not supported by actual events: geolocation, video evidence, and reports from the field indicate the opposite — loss of positions and forced retreat. In particular, in April 2026, Russian forces began to retreat for the first time since August 2024 — a fact confirmed by RFI and other international observers. ### Political Context: Kremlin Propaganda and Preparation for New Attacks Against the backdrop of tactical failures on the front, Kremlin propagandists on August 18 announced "two absolute records" for Ukraine during the attack on Russian territory — which, in essence, is an attempt to flip the narrative and present Ukrainian actions as a threat rather than a defensive reaction. Meanwhile, RBC-Ukraine reported that Russia may be preparing massive attacks on western Ukraine — indicating a strategic shift in the enemy's plans. At the same time, experts note that current failures in the northeast may force Moscow to reconsider its priorities and redistribute resources. ### What's Next: Forecasts and Expectations of Putin's Actions In the face of growing pressure on the front and rising casualties, Vladimir Putin may be forced to take radical measures — from mobilizing additional reserves to changing the tactics of waging war. However, as the practice of recent months shows, any attempts at large-scale offensives end in failure. Ukrainian forces are demonstrating growing effectiveness, especially in matters of counterattacks and holding positions. In the coming weeks, the key question will be: will Russia be able to regain the initiative, or will the Ukrainian side continue to expand its successes on all fronts. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [AFU successfully counterattacked on one of the front lines, - ISW](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zsu-uspishno-kontratakuvali-odnomu-napryamkiv-1787118113.html) - Основной источник данных о контратаке ВСУ в Сумской области и неудачах РФ на других направлениях. - [Russian offensive cracked: AFU counterattack changed the situation near Sloviansk, — ISW](https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/763152-kontrataka-vsu-vozle-slavyanska-isw-obyasnil-kak-ukrainskie-voennye-sorvali-plany-rf) - Подтверждено по источнику focus.ua - [AFU counterattack stopped Russian advance near Sloviansk - ISW](https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4899527-kontrataka-vsu-ostanovyla-prodvyzhenye-rossyian-vozle-slavianska-ISW) - Подтверждено по источнику korrespondent.net - [ISW: Russian forces began to retreat in April — for the first time since August 2024](https://www.rfi.fr/ru/%D1%83%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0/20260503-isw-%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%B2-%D0%B0%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B8-%D0%BE%D1%82%D1%81%D1%82%D1%83%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%82%D1%8C-%D0%B2%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B5-%D1%81-%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B3%D1%83%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0-2024-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0) - Подтверждает факт отступления российских войск и противоречия с заявлениями Минобороны РФ. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Where exactly did the AFU conduct a successful counterattack? **A:** In the Mogrytsia and Sadky area, to the northeast of Sumy, in Sumy Oblast. ### Q: What does ISW say about the RF's progress in Kharkiv Oblast? **A:** ISW reports that Russian forces attempted to advance but failed to achieve success. ### Q: Is there confirmation of AFU progress in the direction of Borova? **A:** Yes, geolocated video recordings from August 15 confirm the advance of Ukrainian troops north of Novomykhailivka. ### Q: Why do RF Ministry of Defense claims contradict ISW data? **A:** The RF Ministry of Defense claims progress, but independent sources and geolocation show loss of positions and retreat.