Selenski visits other destroyed places
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued his tour of areas of the country particularly affected by Russian attacks, visiting the Sumy region on Tuesday. It was partially occupied after the invasion began more than a year ago. In early April, Russian troops withdrew from the region bordering Russia in northern Ukraine.
Zelensky met officials and residents of two towns in Sumy: Oktyrka, which remained unoccupied but saw fierce fighting last year, and Trostianets, which was recaptured by Ukrainian troops in late March 2022 after a month of Russian occupation. The AP news agency was able to accompany Selenskyj exclusively.
On a square in Ochtyrka, Zelensky promised those present that the city would be rebuilt. In Trostianets, Zelensky honored soldiers at the local train station, where, according to Ukrainian sources, prisoners were being tortured by Russians. He also met the Ukrainian Minister of Reconstruction, Olexander Kubrakov. Many buildings in the city are damaged or destroyed. Resident Dmytro Sayats told the AP that the president’s visit to Trostianets means a lot to him. “He is a symbol of unity and the iron will that brought the country together.”
In the past seven days, the President had already visited the Cherson and Kharkiv regions, the still fiercely contested area near Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region, and Zaporizhia in the south.