Reports indicate that Russian forces have taken control of four villages near the border in Ukraine's Sumy region. This area is close to Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces took land last year. This action follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement about creating a buffer zone along the border to prevent further Ukrainian attacks. Although Russian bombing has decreased slightly, Russia's invasion continues, and peace talks have not made much progress. The only clear result from recent direct talks was a large exchange of prisoners. Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy to Ukraine, has not yet received the document Putin promised, which would outline a possible peace agreement. During 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 hold their positions.