ALBAWABA - Russian President Vladimir Putin toured Russian-occupied Mariupol in a surprise visit to Ukraine widely interpreted as a provocation to Ukraine and its Western allies. BREAKING: Vladimir Putin visits the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Russian state media reports. Putin flew in by helicopter and toured several districts in the city by car, the Kremlin said in a statement Sunday. Putin supposedly visits occupied Mariupol:The airport in Mariupol is going to be reconstructed and launched by 2025- told Deputy Prime Minister Khusnullin to putin. Putin Visits Mariupol As Part Of Surprise Tour Of Occupied Ukraine https://t.co/Yfi31r2R76 pic.twitter.com/bZMKZIF6wN — NDTV News feed (@ndtvfeed) March 19, 2023Putin also met with military officials at a command post of the special military operation in Rostov-on-Don, according to the statement.

Source: Washington Post March 19, 2023 09:55 UTC