Zelenskyy on the northern front and threats from Belarus
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the need for increased attention to Ukraine’s northern regions due to potential threats from Belarus, emphasizing that no aspect of defense would be overlooked. Security issues were discussed with community leaders from the Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Volyn regions during his working visit.
During his working trip to Rivne Oblast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with community leaders from three regions—Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Volyn—where the main focus was on the security situation in the north and the regions’ readiness for potential challenges.
According to the head of state, the conversation focused on border protection and coordination between communities and military structures, as the situation in border areas requires constant attention and swift decisions. “Today, here in our beautiful Rivne region, I want to thank all our communities in the three regions: Rivne, Zhytomyr, and Volyn. We spoke with community leaders, including about the defense of this northern sector,” Zelenskyy said.
He also emphasized that Ukraine will not allow any sector to be neglected, especially given the security risks along the northern border. “We will not leave any sector unattended,” the president stressed, commenting on the situation during his evening address.
During his visit, Zelenskyy also noted that earlier that day he had visited communities in the Chernihiv and Kyiv regions, and that work with the regions is continuing systematically to ensure defense coordination and infrastructure resilience amid the war.
A petition calling for no increase in public transportation fares in Kyiv had gathered the required number of votes for consideration by city authorities in less than a day as of May 19. The initiative emerged amid discussions of a possible fare hike in the capital and sparked a strong reaction among city residents.
Earlier, a petition against raising public transit fares was registered in Kyiv.
In Lviv, public transit fares were raised on May 16, and now prices depend on the payment method and can reach 30 hryvnias per trip. Authorities attribute the fare increase to rising costs for fuel and vehicle maintenance.
