After his recent visit to the eastern city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has rarely traveled outside the capital Kyiv since the start of the Russian invasion, made his first visit to the city of Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine on Saturday. A video released by the Ukrainian presidency showed Zelensky inspecting a heavily damaged residential building and holding meetings with local officials in the coastal and industrial city of Mykolaiv, which remains under Ukrainian control but is near Kherson, which has been under Russian control since mid-March.
The southern city is still considered a significant target and a valuable prize for Moscow, as part of its plans to assert control over all of eastern and southern Ukraine, given its location along the road leading to Odessa, the largest port in Ukraine. Observers believe that through such visits to frontline cities like Mykolaiv in the south and Kharkiv in the east, Zelensky aims to convey that Kyiv will not relinquish its territories in the eastern Donbas region and the southern maritime strip, and that it will continue to defend and withstand the Russian assault in those areas.
According to them, he is attempting to boost the morale of his forces stationed in those hot zones that almost encapsulate the war, and to send the message that he is not besieged in Kyiv but is actively engaged on the frontlines against the Russians in the east and south.
Military experts, however, doubt that such visits will make a difference on the battlefield, where Russians are advancing in the eastern and southern fronts, particularly in the battle for the east in the Donbas basin. Commenting on the implications of Zelensky's visit to Mykolaiv and the expected Russian response, military strategist Muhannad Al-Azzawi told "Sky News Arabia": "It is clear that the Russian military decision-makers aim to strengthen their control and successes along the coastal strip and throughout eastern Ukraine, moving towards Odessa as the final target and crowning this endeavor, with Mykolaiv being the intermediate goal that must be secured to encircle Odessa and take control of it later. This would allow the Russians to tighten their grip on the entire Ukrainian coastal strip, restricting Kyiv’s ability to export and receive Western weapons and equipment."
He added: "They would be able to secure the Russian naval forces in the Black Sea from Ukrainian strikes, especially since there is a modern ground-to-air missile system deployed in Mykolaiv, and there is also the Vulkan airbase which is often used to strike Russian forces through Ukrainian aircraft, in addition to the Ukrainian 36th Naval Brigade which is also employed to curb Russian advances from Mykolaiv. Moreover, there are many storage facilities, arsenals, and ammunition depots there, which makes it a valuable target for Moscow to ensure the smooth annexation of nearby Kherson, a process that is already in full swing as we know."
The military expert further elaborated on the situation on the ground: "The Russians are steadily and determinedly pursuing their objectives in eastern and southern Ukraine, and their progress there is seen as good given the scale of military support for Kyiv from the West. In any case, Mykolaiv’s proximity to the Dnipro River adds to its vital importance, as this river is a strategic waterway in the operational theater. Additionally, Russian control over Mykolaiv paves the way for the Russians towards the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, should they decide once more to pursue the option of encircling the capital and attempting to seize it."
