The Russian presidency announced today, Sunday, that Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the city of Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine, which Russia controlled after the war that began more than a year ago.
According to the Kremlin’s statement, Putin flew to Mariupol by helicopter, then drove through the streets of the city, stopped at several locations and spoke with local residents.
In a separate context, the director of the Ukrainian President’s Office, Andriy Yermak, said that his country’s forces continue to defend the city of Bakhmut in the Donbass region, eastern Ukraine.
Yermak confirmed that the clashes with the Russian forces are still continuing in Bakhmut, adding; “The defense forces continue to push back the enemy in the east, and their plans to invade Bakhmut are now failing. Ukraine is in the foreground.”
It is worth noting that on February 24 of last year, Russia launched a military operation against Ukraine, during which it managed to control several cities in the east of the country, followed by the imposition of unprecedented isolation by the international community and severe sanctions on Moscow.
