President Zelensky at the front in Bashmut

The message about the flight came from the office of the President of Ukraine in the afternoon. The President visited the troops near Pashmut in Donetsk. He made his way to the soldiers standing in the middle of the firing line of heavy artillery, according to Kiev.

Zelensky also met with officers and soldiers from the Operational and Strategic Group in Chortitsia, whose command center manages a large part of the Ukrainian offensive, which he is leading in the Donbass region in the east of the country, according to Agence France-Presse.

Some successes

The news from Kiev about the President’s trip came after reports of some counterattack success on the northern and southern military flanks. However, it is difficult to verify much of the information through independent sources.

Therefore, the moral significance of President Zelensky’s visit is great. The Ukrainian president can show unity in the fight against the Russian army at the same time that Russia is shaken by the events of the weekend with the Wagner Group’s coup march on Moscow:

“According to a good tradition, Volodymyr Zelensky stopped at a gas station in the Donetsk region and drank coffee with the soldiers who worked there,” said a statement from the presidential office.

Medal distribution

Official photos from the Presidential Office show Zelensky distributing medals to soldiers and talking with Commander Oleksandr Sersky. But Zelensky is also seen in more relaxed contexts when he talks to soldiers over a cup of coffee at a gas station on a country road.

Sources at the US Department of Defense told the Pentagon, on Monday evening, that a new military support package worth $500 million is expected.

The support includes more than 50 armored vehicles and air defense robots, the Associated Press reports with reference to informed sources.

The aid is expected to be announced tomorrow, and it will be the 41st aid package since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Soldiers are trained

The British Ministry of Defense announced that about 17,000 Ukrainian soldiers were trained last year. Sweden is also involved in this effort.

Expanding from its original 10,000 positions to 30,000 over the next year, the program has made “a huge difference to Ukraine’s combat effectiveness”, according to the Brits.

To date, the United States has provided more than $15 billion in military support, the equivalent of more than 160 billion kroner, according to the Pentagon.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has presented a new support package to Ukraine, according to several media reports. The support includes 110 million Australian dollars, equivalent to 787 million kroner.

The support includes 70 military vehicles, 28 of which are armored.