Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has visited front-line areas in the east of the country and used the opportunity to criticize officials he believes are not performing their duties.
Together with army commander-in-chief Olexander Syrskyj, he was briefed on the situation in the Donetsk region. Zelensky also presented medals to soldiers.
In a video, he appeared in front of the place name sign of the mining town of Pokrovsk, which is just under 30 kilometres from the front line. The Pokrovsk area is considered to be one of the hardest-fought sections of the front. The Russian military was able to advance there after the fall of the Ukrainian fortress of Avdiivka.
Zelensky said he was also able to see the humanitarian situation on the ground for himself, unlike some members of the government.
"There will be a separate meeting in Kiev, especially with government representatives who should be here and in other places near the front line - in difficult communities where people need immediate solutions that are not apparent from Kiev," he said.
Zelensky said he was surprised that some ministers had not been on the ground for six months or more. "There will be a serious dialogue and I will draw the appropriate conclusions," he said.
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion for more than two years with Western help.
