Ukraine's Zelenskiy visits frontline positions in Luhansk region

Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited military positions in the country's east, where the army has been fighting Russia-backed separatists for five years. Zelenskiy was inaugurated a week ago.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visits positions of armed forces in Lugansk region, Ukraine, May 27, 2019.
Reuters

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visits positions of armed forces in Lugansk region, Ukraine, May 27, 2019.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the army's positions in Luhansk region on Monday for the first time since being elected.

A video released by presidential press service shows Zelenskiy visiting trenches and greeting soldiers and officers, a few hundred metres away from pro-Russian separatists' positions of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic.

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In his inauguration speech in May, Zelenskiy said his first task was to achieve a ceasefire, adding that dialogue could only happen after the return of Ukrainian territory and prisoners of war.

Rebellions broke out against Ukrainian government rule in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in 2014 shortly after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Kiev in a popular revolt.

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Moscow provided military help for the separatists in the east, according to evidence gathered by Reuters, though Russian officials have denied providing material support. 

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