Zelenskiy says military initiative clearly belongs to Ukraine

(Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in a video address released early on Wednesday, said the situation on the front line with Russian forces clearly showed the initiative belonged to Ukraine.

Zelenskiy made his comments a day after Russian-installed leaders in occupied areas of four Ukrainian regions set out plans for referendums on joining Russia, a move that could sharply escalate the war.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren and Ronald Popeski; Editing by Leslie Adler)