Ukraine war

Ukraine president praises troops in visit to southern front line

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walks on a street during a visit to the southern city of Mykolaiv, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Ukraine June 18, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a second visit to troops on the front lines of Ukraine's fight against Russia, thanking them for their bravery and tenacity and declaring that the country would prevail.

A video posted to Zelenskiy's official Telegram account on Saturday showed the president in his trademark khaki t-shirt handing out medals and posing for photographs with the military in what appeared to be an underground shelter in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine.

The president's office did not disclose the date of his most recent visit to the military.

"Our gallant men and women. Each of them is working nonstop "Zelenskiy noted in the video. "We will absolutely persevere! We will certainly prevail!"

Since Russia's invasion on February 24, Zelenskiy has primarily remained in Kyiv. In recent weeks, however, he has made unannounced excursions to the northeastern city of Kharkiv, where heavy fighting had previously occurred, and to two eastern towns near where clashes are taking place.

In addition, combat is occurring along the eastern and southern borders of the Mykolaiv area in south Ukraine.

According to Zelenskiy's office, the president also visited the regional capital of Mykolaiv and viewed its wrecked government building, where a missile attack murdered 37 people in late March.

Early in March, Russian forces approached the outskirts of Mykolaiv before being forced back.

According to separate releases from his office, he also visited a hospital in Mykolaiv. He presented bravery awards to Mayor Oleksandr Senkevych and Governor Vitaliy Kim for their services during the four months of the Russian invasion.

His office emphasized the strategic significance of the bordering land Russia occupies in the Kherson region.

"Mykolaiv region is a bridgehead for liberation of the Kherson region, which is a goal for every one of us," stated Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak on Telegram.

His office reported later that Zelenskiy had also visited National Guard outposts in the Odesa region, where he congratulated the troops for their duty and told them, "As long as you live, there is a strong Ukrainian wall that protects our country."

Moscow has declared that it is conducting a "special military operation" to disarm its neighbor. Ukraine and its allies assert that Russia has started an unprovoked war of aggression, resulting in thousands of civilians' deaths and cities' destruction.

Publish : 2022-06-19 08:18:00

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