KYIV: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Russian forces were focusing their main firepower on the eastern Donetsk region and not northeastern Kharkiv where they launched a new offensive last month.

Russian forces made their most significant territorial gains in 18 months during a major ground assault on the Kharkiv region last month, capturing several Ukrainian border villages and forcing thousands from their homes.

Kyiv rushed reinforcements and equipment to the area, further stretching their defences at a time of manpower and ammunition shortages.

“Most of the fighting and the heaviest attacks are in the Donetsk region. In fact, it is the main focus of Russian attacks,” Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media.

Three killed in Russian attacks on eastern Ukraine

Zelensky said he had held a meeting with his senior military commanders in Kyiv after returning to Ukraine from visits to several European capitals as well as Singapore and the Philippines over the last week.

Some military analysts said the Russian assault could be a move to try to break through in other areas of the front lines.

Russia claimed to have annexed Donetsk in 2022, despite not having full control over the region.

The Ukrainian mayor of Kharkiv, the regional capital and second most populous city in the country, said Russia launched 76 aerial attacks on on the city in May, almost three times as many as during April.