Voice of America
19 Mar 2023, 23:06 GMT+10
Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, according to a report Sunday from the Russian state news agency Tass.
Putin traveled to Crimea on Saturday on the ninth anniversary of Russia's annexation of the Black Sea peninsula from Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded Russia's withdrawal from Crimea and all areas it has occupied since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which entered its second year in February.
Saturday's trip also came the day after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for Putin's arrest, charging him with being personally responsible for the abduction of children from Ukraine in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Russian leader visited an art center and a children's center in Crimea.
Meanwhile, Britain's Defense Ministry said Sunday in its daily intelligence update on Russia's invasion that the "quiet declaration of an alternative capital" for the Zaporizhzhia Oblast "is likely tacit acknowledgement within the Russian system that its forces are highly unlikely to seize previously planned major objectives in the near future."
Russian officials published a decree on March 3 declaring Melitopol as the Zaporizhzhia oblast capital. It was designed as a temporary measure, the ministry said, until the city of Zaporizhzhia is controlled by Russia.
However, Russia has never occupied the city of Zaporizhzhia, which is about 35 kilometers from the current front line.
Putin claimed in September to have annexed four oblasts, including Zaporizhzhia, as part of the Russian Federation.
Get a daily dose of Ohio Standard news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Ohio Standard.
More InformationWASHINGTON D.C.: After a House Ethics Committee report found substantial evidence that he broke the law, New York Republican representative ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Despite the ongoing economic uncertainty, major discounts during the Thanksgiving weekend enticed U.S. shoppers, who spent some US$38 ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: U.S. First Lady Jill Biden stressed that she wants everyone visiting the White House during Christmas to "feel ...
While Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has been frantically shuttling around the Middle East trying to stop the Israeli coflict ...
COLUMBUS, Ohio: To stop the spread of bird flu, more than 1.3 million chickens will be killed on Ohio's Union ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: President Joe Biden invoked a Cold War-era act this week to boost investment in U.S. manufacturing of medicines ...
CHISINAU, Moldova: Over the weekend, heavy snowfall and strong blizzards in Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria left one person dead and ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: After a House Ethics Committee report found substantial evidence that he broke the law, New York Republican representative ...
In a report by The New York Times, it has been revealed that Israeli officials had obtained a detailed battle ...
NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar: Kyar Win, spokesperson for the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, which launched a surprise offensive last month against ...
While Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has been frantically shuttling around the Middle East trying to stop the Israeli coflict ...
LESBOS, Greece: Greek authorities said a cargo ship sank off the island of Lesbos over the weekend during a storm, ...