Visiting His Troops On The Frontline Of The Border With Belarus And Poland, President Zelensky: It's An Honor To Be Here

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Ukraine's border with Poland and Belarus, inspected the country's border areas and thanked the soldiers on guard there.

The president posted a video recording on the Telegram messaging app, showing him meeting border guards in the forest with barbed wire fences next to the river in Ukraine's northwestern Volyn region.

"It is an honor for me to be here today to thank our border guards for protecting the country's borders," President Zelensky wrote under the recording, which also showed him speaking to border guards and sharing awards.

"To protect our country in Bakhmut. I know how steadfast you are to stand there, detaining Bakhmut," he said, referring to the eastern Ukrainian city where fierce fighting between Russian troops and Ukraine lasted for months.

President Zelensky further said, after discussing border protection measures at a meeting in January, that Ukraine should be "ready" on the border with Belarus even though Kyiv saw nothing "strong" there other than the statement.

It is known that Russia used Belarus as a launch pad for a massive invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

Last month, President Vladimir Putin said Russia would place tactical nuclear weapons in its close allies' territory.

In a separate post on Wednesday, President Zelensky said he had discussed issues of security and socio-economics with political and military leaders in the Volyn region.

Earlier, President Zelensky had traveled widely in recent weeks. On Tuesday he met forces in the eastern city of Avdivka, where fighting was also fierce as Ukraine prepared for a planned counter-attack to try to retake Russian-occupied territory.