On this picture taken from video launched by Russian TV pool on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives at an undisclosed location. The Kremlin says Putin has visited headquarters of the Russian troops preventing in Ukraine. Pool picture by way of Related Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Russian-occupied Kherson area in Ukraine to rally troops and to commemorate Orthodox Easter, which was celebrated on Sunday, the Kremlin introduced Tuesday.
Putin visits occupied areas in Ukraine
As seen in a video launched by the Kremlin, Putin met with troops at navy headquarters within the Kherson area earlier than flying to the Luhansk province, the place he visited the headquarters of the Russian Nationwide Guard.
Each of the Ukrainian areas that he visited have been annexed by Russia final 12 months, BBC reported.
The transfer “represented an obvious try by the Russian chief to rally his troops and display his authority,” in response to The Related Press.
The surprising go to is the Russian president’s second journey to Ukraine within the span of two months. In March, Putin traveled to the occupied metropolis of Mariupol, the place he toured the town by night time and spoke to residents, the Deseret Information beforehand reported
Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, responded to Putin’s shock go to by calling it a tour to “benefit from the crimes of his minions for the final time.”
Putin's degradation is spectacular. The world waited for his assertion a 12 months in the past. Now they do not. There is no such political actor. There's solely a "particular tour" of the mass murders creator within the occupied and ruined territories to benefit from the crimes of his minions for the final time.
— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M) April 18, 2023
Russian courtroom upholds U.S. journalist’s detention
In the meantime, Wall Road Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich appealed his pre-trial detention however was rejected by a Russian courtroom Tuesday, The Related Press reported.
Russia accused the American journalist of espionage, a declare that the U.S. denies.
Gershkovich is presently being held in a pre-trial detention heart till Could 29, per CNN.