Ukrainian Forces Disrupted Russian Plans to Capture Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia in 2024, Says Zelenskyy

In an interview on the national telethon on January 2, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Ukrainian Defense Forces disrupted Russian plans to occupy the cities of Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia during the autumn and winter of 2024.

"Autumn and winter of 2024 marked the disruption of three Russian operations aimed at capturing Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia," Zelenskyy stated, "I believe the real credit here goes to our soldiers," he added.

The President also expressed his gratitude to the residents of these cities, acknowledging their resilience and courage during challenging times.

"These are Ukrainian cities, and I want to thank the people who live there. They have endured a serious trial," Zelenskyy said.

Previously, it was reported that in 2024, Ukraine’s Defense Forces inflicted the heaviest losses on the Russian military since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, according to a report from Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.