Zelensky Visits Donbas Near 'difficult' Ukraine Front

:President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday visited the frontline region of Donetsk in east Ukraine, describing fighting in the area as "difficult" with Russian forces pushing to capture the industrial city of Bakhmut.

Kyiv, Ukraine, Dec 6 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th Dec, 2022 ) :President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday visited the frontline region of Donetsk in east Ukraine, describing fighting in the area as "difficult" with Russian forces pushing to capture the industrial city of Bakhmut.

The visit came as Russian President Vladimir Putin convened his security council in the wake of the latest spate of drone attacks on military-linked facilities inside Russian territory.

The focus of fighting in Ukraine has shifted to Donbas after Kyiv's forces recaptured the southern city of Kherson last month following a Russian retreat from the regional capital.

Zelensky appeared in a video wearing a heavy winter coat, standing next to a large sign in Ukraine's blue and yellow colours bearing the city name Sloviansk and calling for a moment of silence to commemorate killed Ukrainian soldiers.

"The east of Ukraine today is the most difficult front. And I am honoured to be here now with our defending troops in Donbas. I believe that next time we will meet in our Ukrainian Donetsk and Lugansk and in Crimea as well," Zelensky said.

Russian forces have controlled parts of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014, when fighting with separatists broke out and the Kremlin annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.

"From the bottom of my heart, I congratulate you on this great holiday, the Day of the Armed Forces," said Zelensky, who was later shown meeting soldiers and distributing awards.

In the nearby Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, its mayor said that Ukrainian shelling had killed six civilians and injured others.