KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he had visited two cities very close to one of the most active front lines between his country's troops and Russian forces, where a regional official said the situation had worsened for the Ukrainian side.
The Ukrainian forces had suffered a slight reversal of fortunes after they managed to retake half of the city of Sievierodonetsk, the main battlefield in the east where Russia has concentrated its forces, said Serhiy Haidai, governor of the province of Luhansk, where the city is located.
Haidai did not go into details but said Ukrainian troops were still holding their positions in the city's industrial zone.
He said that fast-moving fighting is happening right now.
Zelenskyy had travelled to Lysychansk, south of Sievierodonetsk, and Soledar — rare outings for him outside Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24 and possibly the closest to the front line yet.
Zelenskyy, wearing his trademark khaki T-shirt, told Ukrainian troops in a video released on Sunday night.