Russian accounts said heavy fighting gripped areas outside the eastern city of Bakhmut, captured by Russian mercenary Wagner forces in May after months of battles.
Russian troops, she said, were defending Bakhmut, while Ukrainian forces had registered "a certain advance" on the city's southern flank.
There were no changes in position to the north of Bakhmut, and Ukrainian forces remained engaged in heavy fighting west of Bakhmut and near Lyman, further north in Donetsk region.
Zelenskiy acknowledged that advances were slower than what he and his generals wanted, but said Ukrainian forces held the initiative.
Ukrainian military analyst Denys Popovych said Ukrainian forces had taken "important positions near Klishchiivka.
Persons:
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Wagner, Ramzan Kadyrov, Hanna Maliar, Zelenskiy, Kadyrov, Denys Popovych, Ron Popeski, Nick Starkov, Leslie Adler
Organizations:
ABC, NATO, Ukrainian, Reuters, Russia's Defence Ministry, Ukraine's NV, Thomson
Locations:
Russian, Bakhmut, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Lyman, Donetsk region, Lithuania, Klishchiivka