Ukraine has liberated nearly 1,000 settlements from Russian control, Zelenskyy says

Ukraine has liberated nearly 1,000 settlements from the Russian invaders, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Wednesday. Zelenskyy's speech focused on the prospect of Ukraine joining the European Union, celebrating the visit of European Council President Charles Michel.

In this context, the president touted Ukraine's success in restoring communities that had been occupied by Russian forces earlier in the conflict. During Russia's initial invasion, Moscow's forces had taken up positions around the capital city of Kyiv, besieging it for about a month. In recent weeks, however, Russia has refocused its war on the east and south of Ukraine, particularly the breakaway Donbas region.