In recent weeks, Kyiv has claimed some progress on the northern and southern flanks of the city of Bakhmut, which was seized by Russia in May after a months-long bloody battle. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday visited the frontline Donetsk region in the east of his country, which is partly occupied by Russian forces. Moscow has formally claimed to annex the Donetsk region, which has been partly occupied by Russian-led forces since 2014, but Ukraine has launched a counteroffensive. Is the Volodymyr Zelensky’s visits just for motivation with little progress in the counter offensive ?

