Putin tours Russia-occupied Mariupol in Ukraine

This is the Russian president’s first trip to Mariupol in the Donetsk region; he travelled around several districts of the city and interacted with residents

Mariupol fell to Moscow last year after one of the war’s longest and bloodiest battles

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Russian President Vladimir Putin waves to residents during his visit to Mariupol in the Moscow-controlled Donetsk region of Ukraine. Photo: from video footage, via AP

Published: 2:24pm, 19 Mar 2023Updated: 8:57pm, 19 Mar 2023

President Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to Mariupol, Russian state media reported on Sunday, in what would be the Kremlin leader’s first trip to the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine’s Donbas region since the start of the war.

The tour came after Putin travelled to Crimea on Saturday in an unannounced visit to mark the ninth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine, and just two days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader.

Putin is yet to comment publicly on the ICC warrant, but his trips into Ukrainian territory claimed by Russia was seen by some observers as an act of defiance.

Mariupol fell in May after one of the war’s longest and bloodiest battles, marking Russia’s first major victory after it failed to seize Kyiv and focused instead on southeastern Ukraine.

Putin flew by helicopter to Mariupol for “a working trip”, Russian news agencies reported citing the Kremlin. He travelled around several districts of the city, making stops and talking to residents.

It is the closest to the front lines Putin has been since the year-long war began.