Russia-Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin visits Russian troops in 'annexed' Ukrainian regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited parts of Ukraine (Kherson and Lugansk) that Russia claims it annexed last year to meet the security forces and military commanders. The crucial visit is marked as the first time Putin visited the two regions, which are partly controlled by Russian troops. Moscow claims that it annexed both Kherson and Lugansk along with two other Ukrainian regions last September.

Putin rarely visited parts of Ukraine under Russia's control amid the ongoing war. Last month, he visited the Crimea region and the city of Mariupol.

In a statement, the Kremlin said that the "supreme commander of Russian Federation armed forces has visited the headquarters of the Dniepr military grouping" in the Kherson region in the south, as well as Russian national guard headquarters in the Lugansk region in the east.

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The Kremlin statement was released on Tuesday (April 18), but it doesn't specify when the trip took place.

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Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin:"It's important for me to hear your opinion on the situation, to listen to you and to exchange information."

The Russian leader also wished the troops a happy Easter, which Orthodox Christians marked last Sunday.

Russian news agency TASS reported that Putin spoke with commanders from the airborne forces of Russia's "Dnieper" army unit and TASS added that one of the objectives of the visit was to get a "report" from commanders on the situation in both the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia directions.

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As seen in the video and translated by news agencies, Putin said: "I do not want to distract you from your direct duties related to command and control. Therefore, we are working here in a business-like manner, briefly, but concretely."

"It is important for me to hear your opinion on how the situation is developing, to listen to you, to exchange information. I would ask you to start your report with the situation in the Kherson direction, then in the Zaporozhzhia direction," he added.

The visit took place as a meeting of Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers in Japan condemned a Russian plan to station nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Ukraine reacts to the visit

Kyiv accused Putin of visiting the scenes of Russian "crimes".Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, tweeted:"Putin's degradation is impressive.

He also said Putin was touring Ukraine's occupied territories "to enjoy the crimes of his minions for the last time".

(With inputs from agencies)

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