On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi visited troops in the eastern Donetsk region, where they have been enduring intense Russian ground and air assaults in recent months.
The Kremlin’s army has intensified efforts to dislodge the weary and outgunned Ukrainian forces holding eastern and northeastern areas. Their goal is to capture more territory during the spring and summer, as dried-out muddy fields now allow heavy military equipment to move into key positions across the countryside.
In 2022, Russia illegally annexed parts of Donetsk and three other regions shortly after invading Ukraine, making control of all Donetsk a priority for the Kremlin. Moscow seeks to leverage its advantage in troops and weaponry before Ukraine can receive additional Western supplies for the front.
Civilians have also been affected by Russia’s onslaught. Ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit, Russian forces dropped a powerful glide bomb on the Donetsk city of Selydove, causing extensive damage to 37 homes, six multi-story buildings, and administrative infrastructure. Regional authorities reported no injuries.
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Over the previous 24 hours, the Russian military shelled 20 settlements in the Donetsk region, killing one person and injuring at least nine, according to regional head Vadym Filashkin.
Since Tuesday, officials said about 250 people have been evacuated from their homes in the Donetsk region.
Zelenskyy also discussed with local officials the public drinking water supply, social issues, evacuation plans, and the rebuilding of local homes. He indicated a desire for a better response from Kyiv officials overseeing these matters but did not elaborate on the perceived problems or which officials he would address.
Zelenskyy has frequently visited front-line areas during the war.
He said his trip to the Donetsk region was to introduce the new commander of the Joint Forces Command, Andrii Hnatov, who replaced Yurii Sodol, the position holder since February 2023.
Zelenskyy did not provide a reason for the change, but it came after Bohdan Krotevych, the widely admired chief of staff of the Azov brigade, criticized an unnamed general for “killing more Ukrainian soldiers than any Russian general,” implying incompetent troop management. Several Ukrainian media outlets, quoting unidentified armed forces sources, suggested he was referring to Sodol.
