Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has returned to the front line near Bakhmut where fighting has raged for months.
The devastated city has long been a focal point of the war as Russian forces try to revive their military campaign in the east.
His visit came as Russian forces launched a series of strikes on Ukrainian cities. At least eight people were killed near Kyiv and in Zaporizhzhia.
While President Zelensky condemned Russia’s “bestial” attacks on civilians, he also visited the eastern front line, where Ukrainian forces have held Russia at bay for more than seven months.
Footage released by the President’s office showed him in an old industrial warehouse giving medals to battle-weary soldiers.
