Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Kherson and Luhansk regions of the Russian-occupied Ukraine where he met with the military commanders.
The Russian President was briefed by commanders of the airborne forces and the 'Dnieper' army group about the situation in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, reported Reuters.
He also met with a general in charge of airborne troops, whoreportedly took up a powerful new role in the invasion. "It is important for me to hear your opinion on how the situation is developing, to listen to you, to exchange information," Putin told commanders in a video released by Kremlin.
The video shows Putin dressed in a heavy blue jacket – taking a helicopter to Luhansk. Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, commander of Russia’s airborne troops and Colonel General Oleg Makarevich were also seen with the Russian President.
It is not clear when the visits happened but Putin was in Moscow for a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu on Sunday. This is also the President's second visit to occupied Ukraine after last month's visit to Mariupol and Crimea.
Russia annexed the Kherson and Luhansk regions along with the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions in September.
The visit also comes amid reports from th British military intelligence that Teplinsky had been given a major role in the war.
Meanwhile, the Russian forces have stepped up use of heavy artillery and air strikes in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The strategically significant city is witnessing heavy fighting for the last many months.
"Currently, the enemy is increasing the activity of heavy artillery and the number of airstrikes, turning the city into ruins," Reuters reports Ukrainian General Oleksandr Syrskyi. He said Russia remained committed to taking Bakhmut "at any cost" but was suffering significant losses in the battle for the city.
Ukrainian officials have said they're buying time by depleting Russian forces in the battle while Kyiv prepares a counteroffensive. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has argued that if Russia wins the Bakhmut battle, it could allow Putin to begin building international support for a deal that would require Ukraine to make unacceptable compromises to end the war.
