Ukraine: Russian President Mr. Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to the military headquarters in the eastern regions of Ukraine, which have been partially occupied by Russia, marking his second visit to the area in just two months. The visit is likely to further escalate tensions between Russia and Ukraine, which have been locked in a long-standing conflict. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

According to the Kremlin, President Mr. Putin participated in a military command meeting in the southern Kherson region, where he was briefed by commanders of the airborne forces and the “Dnieper” army group, along with other senior officers, on the situation in the region as well as in the Zaporizhia region.

In addition, President Mr. Putin paid a visit to the National Guard headquarters in the eastern Luhansk region of Ukraine. A video of the visit was also released by the Kremlin, which showed President Putin taking a helicopter to Luhansk. However, the timing of the meetings was not disclosed. It should be noted that on 16th Sunday 2023, President Putin had a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Mr. Li Shangfu in Moscow.

Last September, Russia annexed four Ukrainian regions, including Kherson and Zaporizhia. However, it did not have full control over any of these areas, and Kyiv and its allies condemned the move as illegal. In February 2022, the Russian military invaded Kherson and captured the regional capital, which was the largest city in the area.

However, in November of the same year, they retreated from Kherson and moved to the opposite bank of the Dnieper River. This move was made to reinforce their positions and prepare for a possible counterattack from Ukraine.

The town of eastern Bakhmut, which was formerly known for its salt mining industry, is now in ruins and is currently at the center of a fierce battle for control between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

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