Volodymyr Zelensky visited Mykolaiv and Odessa

Volodymyr Zelensky’s trips outside kyiv (Ukraine) are rare. The Ukrainian president went for the first time to Mykolaiv and Odessa, in the south of the country, on Saturday June 18. The objective is to reward soldiers for having stopped the Russian advance at the start of the war. The Ukrainian army has been leading a counter-offensive in Mykolaiv, a strategic city, for several days.

In eastern Ukraine, Lyssytchansk is also preparing for battle. Thursday, June 16, a Russian strike destroyed several buildings. The death toll is four dead and dozens injured, according to the police. The last inhabitants are resigned to leaving. “We are leaving because it has become scary. We are leaving everything behind”, says a woman. In Donetsk (Ukraine), Ukrainian bombardments killed five civilians and injured twelve on Saturday, June 18, according to local pro-Russian authorities. Since 2014, this city has been the scene of fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-affiliated separatists.