Topline
Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise weekend visit to Mariupol, a Ukrainian city Russia seized last year after a devastating siege, the Kremlin announced on Sunday, just two days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin over war crimes Russia has allegedly committed in the country.
In this photo taken from video released by Russian TV Pool on Sunday, March 19, 2023, Russian … [+]
Key Facts
Putin made the visit on Saturday, but it wasn’t announced until Sunday after he left the territory, according to the Washington Post.
It was his first-ever visit to Mariupol since Russia invaded the country more than one year ago and since it took over the now-ravaged city in May, and it appears to be Putin’s first trip to newly occupied Ukrainian territory.
Putin arrived by helicopter and drove himself around while visiting several neighborhoods, speaking with residents and surveying reconstruction projects, the Kremlin said in a statement.
The Mariupol visit came on the same day Putin visited Crimea, to mark the nine year anniversary of its annexation from Ukraine.
The trip marks the closest Putin has gotten to the war’s front lines.
The trip marks the closest Putin has gotten to the war’s front lines.
Big Number
More than 400,000. That’s how many people lived in Mariupol before the war. The city suffered some of the most brutal attacks from Russian forces, including the bombing of a theater that was being used as a shelter. The United Nations said about 1,300 people were killed during the attack, but it’s believed the actual death toll is thousands higher.
Key Background
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, on Friday for the “unlawful deportation” of Ukranian children and the “unlawful transfer” of those children to Russia. Last week, the New York Times reported the ICC had opened an investigation into possible war crimes committed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Arrests and ICC trials for Putin and Lvova-Belova probably aren’t imminent, however, because those arrests would need to be carried out by other cooperating countries. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has previously said the Russian government does not recognize the ICC.
Contra
Putin’s surprise visit to Mariupol stands in stark contrast to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has made several front-line appearances throughout the invasion. Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv four weeks ago.
Further Reading
Putin Arrest Warrant Issued By International Criminal Court Over Alleged War Crimes (Forbes)
Putin visits occupied Mariupol, staking claim to invaded Ukrainian lands – The Washington Post (Washington Post)
Defiant Putin visits occupied Mariupol, symbol of Ukrainian resistance | CNN (CNN)
Defiant Putin Visits Mariupol, a City Razed by Russian Forces – The New York Times (New York Times)
