Ukraine’s president visits conflict zone in east of country

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shakes hands with a soldier as he visits the war-hit Donetsk region (AP)

Ukraine’s president visited the area of conflict in his country’s east amid an escalation of tensions that has raised fears of a resumption of large-scale hostilities.

In Moscow, a senior Kremlin official sternly warned Ukraine against using force to reclaim control of the rebel east, saying that this might force Russia to step in to protect civilians there.