Putin visits not frontline positions, but recreation center far from combat area

BBC’s verification department reported the information.

Journalists have verified and confirmed the findings of the Ukrainian press: during his trip to the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian leader Putin visited Henichesk, in particular, the former Bryhantyna recreation center on Arabat Spit, a few kilometers south of Henichesk.

The BBC verified the geolocation of the footage with Putin by comparing the photos and identifying the buildings and the water tower in them.

"Either on Monday or last week, Putin visited the village of Shchaslyvtseve near Henichesk, where he either arrived by helicopter or in a motorcade with all the cars bearing Moscow license plates, and then relocated to Luhansk," the BBC investigation said.

There, he met with the head of the airborne troops, Mikhail Teplynsky (popular with the troops), who was either sent on leave or returned to the front line, and General Alexandr Lapin (extremely unpopular), who was either fired or returned to command the northern group.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that the trip took place on Monday, April 17, but on that day Vladimir Putin met with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in the Kremlin, and the day before he met with him and the Chinese defense minister.

Most likely, the video was filmed a few days ago and Putin's words about the approaching Easter did not attract particular attention, but they did after the video’s publication, so the recording was edited before it appeared on the Kremlin's website.

At the same time, he did not bring Minister Shoigu or Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, whom he himself appointed commander of the Eastern Military District in January, on his trip to the frontline territories.

The Russian president made his first trip to the occupied territories after the ICC court issued a warrant for his arrest. Perhaps he is trying to demonstrate to his entourage that he is still in control of the situation. Although the places where he appears are about 150 kilometers from the real front line.

The video of the president's trip published by the Kremlin leaves more questions than answers, but one thing is certain. While all the world's media are discussing how many fresh brigades will be ready for the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the end of April, how many Bradley IFVs and Western tanks they have received, Vladimir Putin brought his troops an icon.

• Today, April 18, the Kremlin announced Putin's visit to the occupied Kherson and Luhansk regions. The Ukrainian President’s Office responded.

• On March 19, Russian state news agencies claimed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin made a "working trip" to the temporarily occupied Mariupol.