President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has discussed the battlefield situation with commanders in Ukraine's northeast, where he visited troops on one of the hottest fronts of the war with Russia.
In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said he had been near Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and heard from the commander of Ukraine's ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, on defence in the area and on offensive actions further south, near Bakhmut.
"It is extremely important that Kharkiv, despite everything, not only holds on but helps to keep our entire east strong," Zelenskiy said.
In a post on social media platform X, the president also said he met brigades fighting near the northeastern towns of Kupiansk and Lyman recaptured by Ukrainian forces late last year.
The area has been subject to Russian attacks in recent months.
"We met with brigade and battalion commanders to discuss the battlefield situation, pressing issues, and needs," he said.
Photos showed him meeting soldiers in a poorly lighted room.
The president discussed preparation for winter in Kharkiv as Ukraine expects an escalation of Russia's strikes on energy infrastructure.
Kharkiv, a major industrial centre, has not fallen into Russian hands since the Kremlin invasion in February 2022.
Zelenskiy, who has regularly visited troops, also handed out awards and urged troops to keep their motivation high.
The president's office also posted video footage showing Zelenskiy shaking hands with troops, inspecting equipment supplied by allies, sitting at a long table with commanders and being briefed by an officer standing in front of a map.
Since Ukraine began a counteroffensive in the east and south four months ago, Ukrainian troops have made only gradual gains but Zelenskiy has rejected foreign criticism that the advance has been marred by poor military strategy.
The Russian defence ministry said on Tuesday evening it had shot down a Ukrainian missile off the Crimea coast, and the local Russia-appointed governor reported damage to dwellings from debris from a downed drone.
The ministry statement said Russian air defence systems had downed a Ukrainian Neptun missile over the northwestern part of the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimean Peninsula.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-appointed governor of the port of Sevastopol, said debris from the drone had landed on the roof of an apartment building, although there were no injuries.
Some windows had been blown out.
Razvozhayev, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said emergency services were determining how to remove explosive materials from the site.
"Specialists from the Sevastopol emergency services are now on site and a decision will be taken on moving explosive materials," Razvozhayev wrote.
"All forces and services remain on full combat alert."
Ukraine has in recent weeks stepped up attacks on Crimea, which was occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014.
