In its push towards Bakhmut the Russian military has reduced the city to ruins | DW News

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Friday that large swathes of the eastern Donbas region had been significantly damaged by Russian shelling.

"The front-line situation remains very difficult in the key areas of Donbas — Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka, Kreminna," Zelenskyy said, adding, "For a long time, there is no living place left on the land of these areas that have not been damaged by shells and fire."

"The occupiers actually destroyed Bakhmut, another Donbas city that the Russian army turned into burnt ruins," he added.

The president's comments come after sustained shelling of the frontline in Donetsk throughout Friday.

Russian military sources on Saturday also claimed to have conquered positions in Donetsk, as well as making advances between the towns of Lyman and Kreminna in neighboring Luhansk province.

Russian forces control large parts of Donetsk and have illegally claimed it as Russian territory following a "sham" referendum.

Zelenskyy also thanked the soldiers and commanders who have been fighting on the front line and how continue to "hold the front in these directions, repulse attacks and inflict significant losses on the enemy."

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