Vladimir Putin has visited occupied areas of Ukraine that Russia illegally annexed final yr, the Kremlin has mentioned.

The Russian president attended a navy command assembly in Kherson area and visited nationwide guard in Luhansk.

It shouldn't be clear when the visits came about.

Putin visits Ukraine to 'take heed to Russian troops' - Ukraine struggle newest updates

In Kherson area he heard experiences from commanders of the airborne forces and the "Dnieper" military group in addition to different senior officers who briefed him on the scenario within the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas.

Russian troops retreated from town of Kherson, the regional capital, final November and have been reinforcing their positions on the alternative financial institution of the Dnipro river in anticipation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

While quite a few Western leaders have made their option to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy since Russian forces invaded 14 months in the past, President Putin has not often visited components of Ukraine below Russia's management.

Last month, he visited the Crimea area and Mariupol, the place Russia has been doing building after elevating a lot of town to the bottom.

Read extra:Could Putin be utilizing the struggle to annex Belarus?Biden 'involved' about Pentagon leaks

President Putin's go to comes at a time when Russia's New Year offensive has been grinding on with little success, as Ukrainian forces mount a fierce defence of Bakhmut.

Kremlin troops are stepping up their use of heavy artillery and air strikes within the metropolis, the commander of Ukraine's floor forces mentioned on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, anticipation has been rising forward of an anticipated counteroffensive from Ukraine within the spring.

Kyiv's armed forces, bolstered by dozens of Western-made tanks promised over the winter, are anticipated to attempt to replicate vastly profitable offensives in Kharkiv and Kherson final yr that noticed swathes of territory liberated.

Content Source: information.sky.com