Zelensky says visited frontline Donetsk region in east Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said he went to the front line Donetsk region, where he discussed the military and humanitarian situation with high-ranking commanders.

The visit came a few days after Zelensky replaced the commander of Ukraine's Joint Forces following criticism, as Kyiv has struggled to hold back Moscow's troops in the east for months.

"I started the day in the Donetsk region, together with our soldiers, together with Commander-in-chief (Oleksandr) Syrsky and the new Commander of the Joint Forces, General (Andriy) Gnatov," Zelensky said from the city of Pokrovsk.

He added that the newly-appointed Gnatov was "a young man, but his knowledge of the frontline and experience are exactly what we need".

The president appointed Gnatov after a popular military commander accused his predecessor, Yuriy Sodol, of incompetence.

Zelensky also spoke about assistance to affected communities in the Donetsk region, which has borne the brunt of the fighting in recent months.

He made a rare jab at government officials, saying they "should be there and in other places near the front -- in difficult communities where people need immediate solutions".

"I was surprised that some relevant government officials had not been here for six months or more. I will draw appropriate conclusions about them," he added.