---
title: "Russians \"paint\" successes for themselves in Kharkiv region: ISW analyzes front line situation"
description: "Russian troops are faking successes in Kharkiv and Sumy regions by spreading fakes about capturing territories, but ISW analysts refute these claims."
date: 2026-09-26T07:32:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russians-paint-successes-kharkiv-region-isw
tags: [ukraine-war, isw, kharkiv-region, sumy-region, frontline]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Russians "paint" successes for themselves in Kharkiv region: ISW analyzes front line situation

![Frontline situation in Kharkiv and Sumy regions according to ISW](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/26/rossiyane-risuyut-uspehi-na-harkovshine-isw/rossiyane-risuyut-uspehi-na-harkovshine-isw-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Russian troops have no confirmed advancement in most front-line sectors.
- Russian military bloggers claimed the encirclement of AFU near Velykyi Burluk, but ISW refuted this.
- Ukrainian counter-actions in Lyman and Sloviansk directions hold back the enemy.
- Ukraine's Defense Forces have local successes during counter-offensive operations.

Russian occupying forces continue to launch large-scale offensive attempts in several key sectors of the front in Ukraine, but confirmed advancement is absent in most of them. According to analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the most tense operational situation persists in the north of the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, where the invaders are trying to expand their control zone. ### Situation in the north of Sumy and Kharkiv regions

In the north of Sumy region, Russian formations continued active offensive operations, but on September 24 and 25 they failed to achieve significant forward movement. At the same time, a change in enemy tactics is being recorded: Russian forces are increasingly using modernized "Molnia" unmanned aerial vehicles for targeted hunting of Ukrainian reconnaissance drones. In the north of Kharkiv region, the invaders also carried out attacks without confirmed territorial gains.

### Contradictory data

It is worth noting the serious discrepancies between official analytical data and statements from Russian sources. In particular, Russian military bloggers and propaganda channels actively spread claims about the alleged successful capture of several settlements near Velykyi Burluk and even about the operational encirclement of Ukrainian troop units. However, ISW experts, after a detailed study of satellite imagery and intelligence data, stated that they found no factual evidence confirming these loud enemy statements.

### AFU counter-offensive actions and situation in Donbas

Meanwhile, in the Lyman direction, Ukrainian counter-actions are creating serious tactical problems for the Russian command. The Ukrainian military notes that due to inaccurate or outdated data on the real situation at the front, Russian units are launching chaotic strikes, trying to blindly identify the positions of the Defense Forces. East of Sloviansk, Ukrainian fighters continue to confidently hold defense lines, and successful counterattacks in the Lyman and Sloviansk directions effectively restrain Russia's plans to deploy a large-scale offensive.

### Consequences and expert assessments

In the Kostiantynivka and Novopavlivka directions, the occupiers also had no confirmed advancement, although in certain areas near Pokrovsk the situation remains extremely difficult. At the same time, in the Southern direction, Russian propagandists claimed successes northwest of Huliaipole, but ISW emphasizes that these claimed areas are located at a significant distance from the actual frontline positions of the Russian army. In general, the Defense Forces of Ukraine are not only disrupting enemy plans but also achieving local successes during counter-offensives in a number of front-line sectors.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Россияне "рисуют" себе успехи на Харьковщине: в ISW проанализировали ситуацию на фронте](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyani-malyuyut-sobi-uspihi-harkivshchini-1790407035.html) - Основной источник информации об оценке ISW ситуации на Харьковском и других направлениях.
- [Наступление РФ на Сумскую область: в ISW раскрыли планы Кремля](https://glavred.info/ukraine/nastuplenie-rf-na-sumskuyu-oblast-v-isw-raskryli-plany-kremlya-10654730.html) - Контекстные данные по действиям российских сил на Сумском направлении.
- [ВС РФ продвинулись возле Волчанска и в двух точках на востоке, ВСУ ударили по ТОС-1А, — ISW (карты)](https://focus.ua/voennye-novosti/707427-nastuplenie-rf-vrag-imeet-prodvizhenie-pod-volchanskom-detali) - Дополнительные картографические и оперативные данные аналитиков.
- [В ISW объяснили, воюют ли северокорейцы на стороне РФ в Сумской области](https://www.unian.net/war/sumskaya-oblast-voyuyut-li-severokoreycy-na-storone-rf-13159134.html) - Справочная информация по ситуации на севере Украины.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Are Russian claims about capturing territories in Kharkiv region true?
**A:** No, ISW analysts checked the information and found no evidence of advancement or encirclement of Ukrainian troops as claimed by Russian military bloggers.

### Q: What is the situation in the Sumy direction?
**A:** In the north of Sumy region, the enemy is conducting offensive operations and using modernized "Molnia" drones, but has no significant advancement.