UKRAINIAN President Volodymyr Zelensky took selfies with soldiers and handed out awards at a gas station in eastern Donetsk.

       He said on Telegram: “Today I have the honour to be with our heroes, to thank them and shake their hands.”

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       President Volodymyr Zelensky took selfies with soldiers and handed out awards at a gas station in Eastern Ukraine Credit: Reuters 2

       Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko raised the Crimean Tatar flag near the Donetsk City State Administration Credit: Getty

       While in Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko, raised the Crimean Tatar flag near the City State Administration.

       The region has been under Russian occupation since 2014.

       Yesterday The Sun revealed how Ukrainian forces launched major offensive operations in southern and eastern Ukraine.

       Kyiv has boasted that the "countdown has begun" for Russia after Vladimir Putin faces the humiliating Wagner Group rebellion, as President Zelensky issued a stark warning online.

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       Yesterday, the Ukrainian President said on Twitter: “Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself.

       “For a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.”

       The Ministry of Defence said Ukrainian soldiers are making steady progress in key areas as they use the experiences from the first two weeks of the counteroffensive to perfect their tactics.

       MoD said in a tweet: "In Luhansk Oblast, Russian forces have made their own significant effort to launch an attack in the Serebryanka Forest near Kremina.

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       "This probably reflects continued Russian senior leadership orders to go on the offensive whenever possible.

       "Russia has made some small gains, but Ukrainian forces have prevented a breakthrough."

       The statement comes as Ukrainian forces released intense trench warfare combat footage showing troops shooting the enemy moments before a big explosion just a few feet away.

       The footage presumably shows Saturday's battle between Ukraine's 1st Mech Battalion and Russia's 3rd Battalion.