Zelenskiy Meets Troops and Commanders in Jap Ukraine

KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited troops on Tuesday within the small japanese metropolis of Avdiivka and was briefed by commanders on the battlefield scenario, his workplace mentioned.

Avdiivka has been one of many predominant targets of a Russian winter offensive which was meant to reinvigorate Moscow’s full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022, however has made solely small territorial advances within the east.

A video launched by the president’s workplace confirmed Zelenskiy addressing troops in fight gear and handing them awards in what gave the impression to be a big industrial warehouse with sandbags packed towards no less than one of many excessive partitions.

“I’ve the honour to be right here immediately, to thanks on your service, for defending our land, Ukraine, our households,” he mentioned.

Zelenskiy was additionally proven visiting a hospital the place he inspected amenities, met wounded troopers and handed out awards.

The video footage launched by the president’s workplace additionally confirmed closely broken high-rise residential buildings in Avdiivka, the place Ukrainian officers say about 1,800 civilians nonetheless stay.

Zelenskiy has repeatedly visited troops close to the frontline a number of instances in current weeks. The Kremlin mentioned on Tuesday President Vladimir Putin had visited Russian troops, in Russian-occupied components of the Kherson and Luhansk areas of Ukraine, however didn’t say when.

Zelenskiy was accompanied in Avdiivka by Andriy Yermak, the top of the president’s workplace, who mentioned Ukrainian troops had been efficiently repelling Russian makes an attempt to encircle the town.

He mentioned fierce battles had been underneath means in a number of different cities or cities within the area, and that “profitable defence” was key in these locations.

“Our military has already damaged the enemy’s plans to interrupt by means of the (Ukrainian) defences and advance within the east,” Yermak mentioned on the Telegram messaging app.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash, Enhancing by Timothy Heritage)

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