Kyiv, April 19: The Kremlin on Tuesday said that President Vladimir Putin had visited two frontline regions in Ukraine, prompting Kyiv to brand it as “tour of the scenes of Russian crimes”
Moscow portrayed the trip as a marker of its control in occupied Ukraine, but Russia does not fully hold those areas despite claiming them after a widely-condemned annexation.
Putin’s visit to two regions – Kherson and Lugansk – which was only made public a day after it happened, came as China’s Defense Minister Li Shangfu was in Moscow to demonstrate what he called Beijing’s “determination” to stronger Russia ties.
Moscow has been seeking allies to confront the West as its war in Ukraine causes immense destruction and suffering but has not neared Putin’s goal of capturing control of the country.
“The President – Putin – is now visiting new regions more and more often,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding it is “absolutely important” that Putin as Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Russia’s armed forces “gets information on the spot”
Meanwhile, Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, called Putin’s trip “a special tour” of the mass murders’ author adding he went to Ukraine’s occupied territories “to enjoy the crimes of his minions for the last time”
In Moscow, the visiting Chinese dignitary said his trip was aimed at demonstrating Beijing’s determination to strengthen strategic ties with Russia. “It was important that our countries see eye to eye on the issue of the on-going transformation of the global geopolitical landscape,” the visiting Chinese dignitary added.
It may be recalled that Finland recently joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) thus giving a shock and blow to Russia. Ever since, the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out in February last year, Moscow has been drumming up support from countries opposed to the West.
Since, China’s relationship with Western countries is anything but cordial, it was quite obvious and natural for Beijing move closer to Moscow.
EOM.
