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Ukraine's HUR claims 108 Russian soldiers killed, 29 captured in Sumy Oblast operation

• 2 min read
Ukraine's HUR claims 108 Russian soldiers killed, 29 captured in Sumy Oblast operation
A Ukrainian serviceman flies a FPV drone during a training exercise at an undisclosed location on October 20, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Oleksii Fillippov / AFP / Getty Images)

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 Oct. 20.

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.

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.

HUR did not specify the exact location of the operation or when it took place.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

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.

Separately, on Sept. 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 kilometers. According to the corps, the latest phase of the operation inflicted more than 2,000 Russian casualties and resulted in the capture of over 250 Russian soldiers.

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Tania Myronyshena

Reporter

Tania Myronyshena is a reporter at the Kyiv Independent. She has written for outlets such as United24 Media, Ukrainer, Wonderzine, as well as for PEN Ukraine, a Ukrainian non-governmental organization. Before joining the Kyiv Independent, she worked as a freelance journalist with a focus on cultural narratives and human stories. Tania holds a B.A. in publishing and editing from Borys Hrinchenko Kyiv University.

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