Russian Army Chief Visits Troops on Ukraine Front

Russia's army chief Valery Gerasimov has toured Moscow's troops fighting in eastern Ukraine, declaring a resolute aim to capture additional towns and villages in the region. The army chief's visit occurs as Russia's ongoing military campaign on Ukrainian soil approaches its four-and-a-half-year anniversary, alongside a heightened intensity in the conflict between the two neighboring nations. US-mediated peace negotiations have since been suspended.

In a video released by the ministry, Gerasimov showcased Russian forces' advance towards the Ukrainian town of Sloviansk and commended their "accomplishments". He asserted that the military operation is advancing swiftly, estimating "only four kilometres remain to capture the eastern outskirts of Sloviansk." However, AFP couldn't independently confirm these claims.

Russia continues to maintain its aggressive stance, refusing to abandon its maximalist demand that Ukraine cedes the rest of the eastern territories. The Kremlin has tasked its forces with taking full control of the entire Donetsk region. Sloviansk and the nearby city of Kramatorsk represent the last significant strongholds in the Donetsk region held by Ukrainian forces, forming part of the country's "fortress belt"—a series of heavily fortified lines constructed by Kyiv since 2014.

Sloviansk has long been a symbol of Ukrainian resilience since it was initially held by pro-Russian separatists for around three months in 2014, before the Ukrainian capital reclaimed the city. Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed two highly regarded commanders, Andriy Biletskyi and Denys Prokopenko, to oversee the defense of the region.