Reports indicate that Russian forces have taken control of four villages near the border in Ukraine's Sumy region. This area is next to Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces gained territory last year. This action follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement about creating a safe zone along the border to prevent further Ukrainian attacks. Although there has been a small decrease in recent Russian bombing, Moscow's invasion continues, and peace talks have not led to any major progress. The only clear result from recent direct discussions was a large exchange of prisoners. The US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has not yet received a proposed peace agreement from Putin. Amidst heavy bombing, there was a noticeable decrease in drone attacks from Russia between Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, Russian forces are trying to advance further into Sumy, while Ukrainian forces are working to defend their positions.