Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit areas controlled by eastern and southern Ukraine to show off his dominance while demonstrating his willingness to continue military aggression. In response, President Zelensky of Ukraine visited the fierce battlefields in the east to encourage frontline soldiers and reiterated his stance of thoroughly resisting the war.
The Russian President's Office announced on the 18th that President Putin visited a series of areas controlled by Ukraine's southern Kherson Oblast and eastern Luhansk Oblast, which were unilaterally annexed in September last year.
Russia's state news agency said the visit was his first since the invasion of Ukraine.
Putin is expected to show off his dominance by receiving briefings on the situation at the military operations command in the areas he controls, praising the achievements of the commanders of the airborne forces, and demonstrating his willingness to continue the invasion to seize control of all of Ukraine's eastern and southern provinces that Russia has allegedly annexed.
Meanwhile, the Office of the President of Ukraine announced on the 18th that President Zelensky visited Avdiivka, one of the fierce battlegrounds in Eastern Donetsk Oblast.
President Zelensky encouraged the soldiers fighting on the front lines, saying, "All you want is victory."
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announces that Russian troops are launching attacks around Avdiivka every day.
President Zelensky once again emphasized his stance of uniting the people to continue to fight a thorough war and retake the occupied territories with the support of Europe and the United States.