Zelensky visits southern oblasts, meets military, local officials.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kherson and Mykolaiv oblasts and met with the military, local officials, and Ukrainian defenders, the President's Office reported on Oct.

20. In Kherson, Zelensky discussed the situation on the battlefield with Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Chief of the General Staff Serhii Shaptala, Commander of the Marines Yurii Sodol and Commander of the Odesa Operational and Strategic Group Andrii Hnatov. The meeting reportedly focused on the fighting in the Avdiivka and Kupiansk areas, Ukraine's operations in the south, and weaponry supply on the front lines.

Zelensky also visited positions of a border guard unit in Kherson Oblast, discussing service conditions and needs of Ukrainian border guards in frontline regions with Serhii Deineko, the head of Ukraine's State Border Service.

The writing is on the wall: Ukrainian archivists collect Russian graffiti as evidence of war crimes "It is not considered a war crime if you had fun," reads graffiti left by Russian soldiers in the backroom of a bar in the village of Velyka Komyshuvakha, located in the Izium district of Kharkiv Oblast. Before being liberated, the area was occupied by Russian forces for six months

After that, Ukraine's president left for the neighboring Mykolaiv Oblast to discuss the defense and humanitarian situation in the region.

Mykolaiv Oblast Governor Vitalii Kim and Mykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych briefed Zelensky on the restoration of water and gas supply in liberated settlements and the regional capital, as well as the preparation for the heating season. Hnatov told the president about the security issues in the Black Sea, threats to shipping posed by Russia's aggression, and protection of Ukraine's port infrastructure. Zelensky also visited a military hospital in Mykolaiv Oblast, presenting wounded soldiers with state awards and thanking medics for their work.

News Editor

Dinara Khalilova is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent.

She has previously worked as a fixer and local producer for Sky News.

Dinara holds a BA in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master's degree in media and communication from Bournemouth University in the UK.