Today, we focus on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pausing to take a video selfie near a sign outside the frontline town of Avdiivka, in the Donetsk Oblast.  You can watch the full video below.

The Ukrainian leader visited the besieged hamlet, which is currently almost encircled by Russian forces. Positioned at the gateway of the heavily battered town, adorned with the national banners of Ukraine, he stood alongside Andrii Yermak, the director of his presidential office.

During his visit, Zelensky presented medals to commend several troops and extended greetings for Christmas and the upcoming New Year.

In early October, Russian forces initiated a fresh campaign to seize Avdiivka. Presently, access to the severely damaged town is restricted to a slender corridor, roughly 7 kilometers in breadth. This was Zelensky’s second journey to Avdiivka since the onset of hostilities; he first visited in April.

For more than 22 months, Ukraine has been resisting an intense invasion by Russia, with nearly half of the Donetsk region falling under Russian dominion.