Ukrainian President Introduces New Joint Forces Commander To Frontline Military

Ukrainian Military/PHOTO via Instagram @zelenskyy_official

JAKARTA - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky handed over a new joint force commander to troops defending the eastern front line region of Donetsk.

Zelenskiy previously appointed Brigadier General Andriy Hnatov for the position, which involved planning a strategic operation, replacing Lieutenant General Yuri Sodol, who faced criticism of a serious military setback.

Hnatov's main task included the death of as many fighters as possible while pushing back the attacking Russian troops, Zelensky said in a video speech.

One of his meetings during the trip discussed security and support for communities in the Donetsk region, including water supply, social issues and evacuations, Zelensky said.

Zelensky recorded the video address with the backdrop of the city of Pokrovsk, along the frontline which had witnessed some of Russia's fiercest fighting during a 28-month full-scale invasion.

In the video, he reveals his surprise because several relevant government officials have not visited the area for six months or more.

There will be separate talks in Kyiv, in particular with officials who must be here and in other areas near the front line in a difficult community where society needs immediate solutions, said Zelensky.

"A solution that cannot be seen from Kyiv," he added.

Zelenskiy and his military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi also listened to reports from the front line position.

The Ukrainian military was in an unfavorable position this spring as Russian troops opened new fronts in the northeastern region of Kharkiv in May and continued to pressure Ukrainian troops in another direction.