Vladimir Putin tours Mariupol, Russia in first visit to ex-Ukrainian territory

[Wiz]

Vladimir Putin tours Mariupol in first visit
to ex -Ukrainian territory
Mariupol, a strategically important city in Donetsk,
was the site of some of the fiercest fighting
 in the early part of the war.

A video posted on state media showed the president driving around the city and visiting a concert hall that was allegedly used by Russia to keep prisoners of war in cages during "sham" trials last year.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the visit was "absolutely spontaneous" adding that "actually, just as spontaneously, the president drove further himself to look at the monument to the heroes of World War II, and then he visited the park."

The Azovstal steelworks

Read more here: Vladimir Putin tours Mariupol, Russia

[Manny]

The link wasn't working, so I fixed it.

Nice to see Vlad out and about in the reunited bits of Russia.

[rosco]

The link wasn't working, so I fixed it.

Nice to see Vlad out and about in the reunited bits of Russia.

It hushes the "he's paranoid and too scared to travel" crowd. It's always better to talk about how things really are, I find.

[Markje]

The link wasn't working, so I fixed it.

Nice to see Vlad out and about in the reunited bits of Russia.

Dutch news already speculate he wasn't really in Mariupol and all the people he met are 'actors and actresses'

Riiiight. Anything to keep the narrative going.

[Manny]

Yes, I saw nonsense about body doubles and the usual silliness too.