Ukrainian President Zelenskiy visits northeastern front line

KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the northeastern sector of the front line where he met troops fighting against invading Russian forces, his office reported on Monday.

It said he paid a visit to the command post of the brigade that defends Kupiansk, a target of intensified Russian assault since mid-autumn.

The town was liberated by Ukrainian forces in 2022 following its initial occupation by Russian troops following their full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 that year.

Kyiv says Moscow has not given up on the idea of regaining control of Kupiansk, which lies close to Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv.

During his trip, Zelenskiy discussed equipment and ammunition supplies in the sector with the brigade’s commander. He also handed out awards to the defenders, his office said.

Following an unsuccessful Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, Russian troops have ramped up their assault along the eastern frontline.

Ukraine said at the weekend that it had withdrawn its troops from the devastated eastern town of Avdiivka to avoid them being surrounded by Moscow’s forces. The capture of Avdiivka marked Russia’s biggest battlefield victroy since its May 2023 seizure of Bakhmut.