The situation on the front lines did not undergo significant changes during the first week of the new year.

Heavy fighting continues in Luhansk region and Donetsk region.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said this in his traditional video address in the evening of January 8.

According to him, Bakhmut holds on despite everything.

Although most of the city has been destroyed by Russian strikes, our soldiers repel constant attempts of enemy attacks there.

Soledar is also holding on, "although there is still more destruction there and it is very difficult."

"There is no piece of land near these two cities where the occupier would not have given his life for the crazy ideas of the masters of the Russian regime. This is one of the bloodiest places on the front," Zelenskyi said.

The president said that today the commander of the direction, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, went around the troops defending themselves on the approaches to Bakhmut and Soledar.

Syrsky honored the fighters with awards for resilience.

On the spot, he organized the steps necessary to strengthen our defense.

In particular, the transfer of additional units.

And increased fire on the occupiers.

It is necessary to understand that all our positions, all our actions in defense are interconnected, and the stability and effectiveness of actions at the front in general depends on the stability and effectiveness of actions at each point of the front," the head of state said.

In conclusion, he thanked all Ukrainian defenders and emphasized that Ukrainians defend the entire state, no matter where battles are fought for it.

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