In Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops had to retreat to Vouhledar on the Eastern Front, Russian strikes continue to affect the entire population. In September, for the first time since the start of the war, Russia launched air raids on a daily basis. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Sumy region – bordering Kursk – on Friday October 4, which was particularly affected by the bombings.
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With our correspondent in kyiv, Emmanuelle Chaze
Friday October 4 was not the first visit of the Ukrainian president to Sumy since the beginning of the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region on August 6. He had already visited near the Russian border on August 23, the day of celebration of the independence ofUkraine. This time, he met troops of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade, which takes part in operations on Russian territory, and wounded soldiers.
Along with the Minister of Energy and local stakeholders, Volodymyr Zelensky discussed strategies to better protect the region, which is plagued by daily bombings targeting energy infrastructure in particular. Urakian infrastructure as a whole is targeted by the Russia : recently, Russian missiles fell on school buildings, hospitals and even a retirement home in the region.
This visit comes while the Ukrainians are in difficulty on the Eastern front: Ukrainian troops lost Vouhledarwhich fell into the hands of Russia, in particular. A significant strategic loss and a blow to the morale of the Ukrainians. kyiv explains this withdrawal by a desire to preserve the lives of its men, unlike a Russian army which continues assaults on this front whatever the cost in human lives.
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