Washington: Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday that its forces had taken control of the settlement of Malaya Korchakovka in Ukraine's Sumy region. "Units of the Sever (North) army group, as a result of active operations, established control over the settlement," the ministry said in a statement.

According to Anadolu Agency, parts of the Sumy region in northeastern Ukraine were occupied by Russian forces in early 2022. By April that year, however, the region's governor reported that Russian troops had withdrawn. In 2025, Russian forces launched a new incursion into parts of the region.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's General Staff announced that it had struck the Russian port of Ust-Luga, a site used for transporting oil exports. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv was intentionally targeting Russian energy infrastructure. In a message on Telegram, he emphasized that the Russian economy relies heavily on energy, which has been impacted by sanctions and long-range strikes, alongside increased energy exports from the Middle East and the US.

Zelenskyy highlighted that these factors contributed to a Russian budget deficit of approximately $100 billion in 2026. However, he noted that Russia's energy revenues are currently increasing, posing challenges to Ukraine's efforts.