Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses individuals of the worldwide military-technical discussion board Army-2023 by way of a video link in Moscow, Russia, in this image launched August 14, 2023. Sputnik/Mikhail Klimentyev/Kremlin by way of REUTERS/ File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
Aug 19 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin visited the commander of Russia’s operation in Ukraine and different top army brass, the Kremlin stated on Saturday, a gathering that got here after Ukraine claimed counteroffensive features on the southeastern entrance.
“Vladimir Putin held a meeting at the headquarters of the special military operation group in Rostov-on-Don,” the Kremlin stated in an announcement.
Russia, which launched its invasion in Ukraine in February 2022, calls its actions a particular army operation.
The Kremlin added that Putin, Russia’s supreme commander-in-chief, listened to reviews from Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Army in charge of Moscow’s operations in Ukraine, and different top army commanders and officers.
The assembly got here after Ukraine, whose counteroffensive to recapture land taken by Russia in the primary months of the war has been slower than anticipated, stated it liberated a small village alongside the frontline, its first since July.
The Kremlin didn’t present any extra particulars of the assembly and it was not clear when the assembly happened. Videos printed by the RIA state information company confirmed Gerasimov greeting Putin in what seemed to be night-time and main him right into a constructing after a quick handshake.
Gerasimov, who has been seen hardly ever in public in latest months, had been the goal of savage criticism from Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and a few Russian army bloggers over Russia’s failings in the war.
Rostov-on-Don, a metropolis just a few 100 kilometres (62 miles)from Ukraine’s border, is house to the Russian southern army district command whose military is combating in Ukraine.
With Ukraine’s counteroffensive struggling to interrupt by entrenched Russian traces and Moscow’s stretched army assets and dissent in the ranks, either side have measured latest successes by taking management of tiny villages.
On Thursday, the Ukrainian army stated it had liberated the small village of Urozhaine in the Donetsk area, pushing ahead in its drive in direction of the Sea of Azov to doubtlessly minimize the Russian land bridge to Crimea – very important for Moscow’s provide routes.
Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Mrinmay Dey and Lidia Kelly;
Writing by Lidia Kelly;
Editing by William Mallard and Kim Coghill
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
