Reports indicate that Russian forces have taken control of four villages in Ukraine's Sumy region, which borders Russia's Kursk region. Last year, Ukrainian forces captured territory in the Kursk region. This recent action by Russia occurred after President Putin stated his intention to create a buffer zone along the border to prevent further Ukrainian attacks. Although there has been a slight decrease in recent Russian bombing, the invasion continues, and peace negotiations have not achieved significant progress. The only clear result from recent direct discussions was a large prisoner exchange. Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy to Ukraine, has not received a promised document from Putin that would outline a possible peace agreement. Amidst ongoing bombardments, a noticeable reduction in Russian drone attacks was observed from Monday to Tuesday. Meanwhile, Russian forces are attempting to advance further into Sumy, while Ukrainian forces are working to maintain their current positions.