Volodymyr Zelenskiy has made an unannounced go to to the Donetsk area in japanese Ukraine to bolster morale amongst troops, amid persevering with advances by Russian forces.
The Ukrainian president recorded a video tackle towards the backdrop of Pokrovsk, a metropolis with a prewar inhabitants of about 61,000 that has skilled a few of the most intense combating throughout the 28-month-long full-scale invasion.
Zelenskiy made the journey alongside Brig Gen Andriy Hnatov, the newly appointed commander of the joint forces. Earlier this week, Hnatov changed a common who had been accused by some troopers of inflicting important casualties within the battle with Russia.
Zelenskiy mentioned: “Within the Donetsk area, I held an in depth assembly on safety and assist for the folks. We addressed many points, together with guaranteeing important companies akin to water, social points, evacuation, defence help, and housing restoration.”
The president’s go to to Pokrovsk got here two days after town was struck by a Russian “double-tap” missile assault – during which two missiles hit the identical spot half an hour aside – that killed not less than 5 folks and wounded 41 others.
Whereas the west’s selections to permit Ukraine to strike Russian territory with its weaponry have halted Russia’s push alongside the north-east entrance close to Kharkiv, Moscow stays on the offensive within the east.
Ukrainian troopers, outgunned and outmanned, have been struggling to carry again a big Russian floor offensive that goals to seize the complete japanese Donetsk and Luhansk areas.
Deepstate, an open-source Ukrainian evaluation group, reported on Sunday that Russian troopers had captured the village of Novooleksandrivka, bringing them nearer to the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka freeway, a essential provide route for Ukrainian forces.
Moscow appears intent on exploiting a strategic alternative earlier than Ukraine receives new navy assist from the west, together with F-16 fighter jets and tens of hundreds of artillery shells by a Czech initiative.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, this month mentioned his nation would start peace negotiations if Kyiv agreed to cede 4 frontline Ukrainian areas. Ukraine promptly rejected Putin’s proposals, saying they amounted to a de-facto capitulation and would depart the nation vulnerable to future assaults.
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In the meantime, on Monday night, Russia and Ukraine every exchanged 90 prisoners of battle within the newest prisoner swap, with the United Arab Emirates overseeing the alternate.
For the reason that begin of Russia’s battle in Ukraine, the UAE has maintained a impartial stance and has mediated between the 2 sides to facilitate the alternate of prisoners.
Zelenskiy on his social media accounts printed pictures of returned Ukrainian troopers, with the caption: “Dwelling isn’t just a phrase. Dwelling means Ukraine.”
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