Zelenskyy visits Kharkiv frontline in first official appearance outside Kyiv since invasion began

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited troops on the frontline in Kharkiv, in his first official trip outside the Kyiv region since Russia invaded on February 24."I want to thank each of you for your service. You risk your lives for us all and for our country," Mr Zelenskyy told the soldiers, according to the president's office website.

The president was photographed in a bulletproof vest observing the ruins in Ukraine's second largest city, where Russia has resumed shelling.

Kharkiv saw unrelenting bombardment and missile attacks during the first weeks of the war and was left a total shell, with more than 2,000 apartment buildings flattened so far, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

But the northeastern city fought back, pushing back Russian troops to the point where some citizens felt able to return to the place they once called home.

"I feel boundless pride in our defenders. Every day, risking their lives, they fight for Ukraine’s freedom,” Mr Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram messaging app after his visit.

The city's future remains uncertain though, with several explosions heard on Sunday after the president left.

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