Kyiv, Ukraine – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Thursday that he had made a working visit to troops fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, a front where the Russian military recently claimed to have made gains.
Zelensky posted a video on the Telegram app showing him talking to soldiers, stressing that the visit focused on strengthening defenses in the region.
Strengthening defenses in the Orekhiv sector
Zelenskyy noted that he held a security briefing with the military leadership, focusing primarily on the operational situation in the south.
He said, “I discussed with the military the necessary decisions to strengthen defenses in the Orekhiv sector.”
The briefing also included a discussion of “the tasks of the brigades and regiments, as well as the military and human measures necessary to stabilize the situation in the Rivenobia region.”
The meeting addressed the reinforcement of the Stepnohersk sector with engineering measures, as well as the evacuation of civilians from designated areas. It also covered air cover for roads, logistics, and vital infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia.
The briefing also included a report on the operational situation in the Pokrovsk region.
Honoring the soldiers and special thanks to the defenders of the sector
During the visit, Zelenskyy met with soldiers of the 17th Army Corps, thanking them for their service and defense of Ukraine and awarding them state decorations.
The Ukrainian president emphasized the strategic importance of the region, noting that eastern Ukraine presents a significant challenge, and that this challenge “has always been particularly acute in the Orykiv region.”
Zelensky added: “I thank all the soldiers, officers, and sergeants for defending this sector – the entire Zaporizhzhia region and the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is of great importance. Thank you for keeping it alive through your defense.”
