Zelenskyy visits Ukrainian troops on the frontlines in 1st visit outside Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops on the frontline in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region on Sunday, his first official appearance outside the Kyiv region since the start of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.

“You risk your lives for us all and for our country,” the President’s office website cited him as telling the soldiers, adding that he handed out commendations and gifts.

Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, wrote on the Telegram app that the president had also visited Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv.

Yermak said Zelenskyy toured destroyed residential buildings, noting that their replacements had to be built with bomb shelters in place.

2:14 More people escape Mariupol as Ukraine presses for more aid

The president’s chief of staff added that 31% of Kharkiv region’s territory was currently occupied by Russia, and a further 5% had been taken back by Ukraine having been occupied earlier.

— Reporting by Max Hunder