Zelenskyy meets soldiers on Zaporizhzhia frontline as fighting with Russia intensifies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with frontline troops in Zaporizhzhia on Thursday and discussed the battlefield situation with military commanders.

The visit comes as Ukrainian forces withdrew from several villages in Zaporizhzhia amid fierce fighting against Russian forces.

Fighting has particularly escalated in eastern parts of the region, where Ukraine has lost ground to Moscow.

"We spoke with the commanders and will do everything to strengthen you. We are aware of the challenges you face," Zelenskyy, who presented the troops with state awards, said during his address to service personnel.

The Ukrainian leader also held a security meeting with battalion commanders to discuss how to strengthen defence, staffing, specific types of weapons and equipment.

They also discussed the evacuation of civilians, as well as spoke about the development of unmanned system units and the use of robotic systems on the ground to evacuate wounded soldiers.

According to the Presidential Press Office, Zelenskyy received a report from a Brigade Commander on the operational situation in the region, as well as enemy activity and losses among Russian forces.

Also as part of his trip to Zaporizhzhia, Zelenskyy visited wounded soldiers and presented them state awards at a hospital in the region.

He also met with students at a school located in a shelter.

"This school, fully equipped with everything necessary, has 500 students, but thanks to the shelter, about 1,000 schoolchildren can study in two shifts," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.

13 school in shelters are already operating across the region, Zelenskyy said, "with another 11 planned by the end of the year. This is essential so that our children can continue learning safely," he added.

Corruption scandal

Zelenskyy's trip to the region comes amid a major corruption scandal in Ukraine's energy sector.

A Kyiv court has begun hearing evidence from anti-corruption watchdogs that conducted a 15-month investigation, including 1,000 hours of wiretaps, that resulted in the detention of five people and implicated another seven in the scheme that allegedly earned about $100 million (€85 million).

Ukraine's Minister of Justice Herman Halushchenko and Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk also resigned, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on Wednesday.