President Vladimir Putin flew into the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol in Donetsk overnight. The unannounced trip, which wasn’t planned in advance, came hours after he visited Crimea for “reunification” events marking the 9th anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.
(Bloomberg) —
President Vladimir Putin flew into the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol in Donetsk overnight. The unannounced trip, which wasn’t planned in advance, came hours after he visited Crimea for “reunification” events marking the 9th anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.
The Russian leader’s first visit to an area newly occupied by Russia during its year-long war — and the site of one of the deadliest battles — came after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on Friday, citing his alleged role in unlawfully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will start a three-day state visit to Russia on Monday. The grain export deal that’s allowed Ukraine to ship from key Black Sea ports was renewed on Saturday, hours before it was due to expire.
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Key Developments
- Putin Makes Unannounced Visit to Occupied Mariupol
- Xi’s Embrace of Putin Dents His Chances as Peacemaker on Ukraine
- Ukraine Grain Deal Renewed, Clearing Way for Continued Exports
(All times CET)
Zelenskiy Congratulates Xi on Reelection (12:58 p.m.)
Volodymyr Zelenskiy sent a congratulatory message to Xi Jinping after he secured a third term as Chinese president earlier this month, China’s state broadcaster reported.
Kyiv attaches great importance to friendly relations with China, the Ukrainian president was cited as saying by China Central Television.
Kremlin Releases 40-Minute Video of Putin in Mariupol (11 a.m.)
The Kremlin released a 40-minute video of Russian President Vladimir Putin driving around Mariupol in an SUV at night in a highly-classified trip that wasn’t planned in advance.
Putin was shown visiting a new apartment block, where he stood in a playground surrounded by bodyguards while an official showed him photographs of reconstruction works. Later, Putin was shown meeting with local people in the Nevsky district, who told him how grateful they were for Russia’s “victory.” One man invited Putin to his apartment and the Russian president made a brief visit.
The Kremlin said Putin “inspected the coastline in the area of the yacht club,” although no footage was provided.
Xi Heads to Russia, His Chances of Peacemaker Dented by Putin Embrace (7 a.m.)
Xi Jinping will deliver a strong message of support for Vladimir Putin with his three-day visit to Moscow this week, even as he pitches Beijing’s proposals for brokering an end to the Russian leader’s war in Ukraine.
The trip marks Xi’s most ambitious effort yet to weigh into Europe’s bloodiest conflict since the Second World War, and will be followed by his first conversation with Ukraine’s president since Putin’s invasion.
Read more: Xi’s Embrace of Putin Dents His Chances as Peacemaker on Ukraine
Putin Makes Surprise Visit to Occupied Ukrainian City (6 a.m.)
Putin traveled by helicopter into Mariupol on the Sea of Azov in southern Donetsk province, Tass reported on Sunday. The Russian leader’s unannounced visit – his first since Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago and later claimed to have annexed four provinces – followed his appearance in Crimea.
Putin reviewed construction and restoration work in Mariupol, Tass said. An official video showed Putin driving a car through streets at night. The location can’t be verified. Much of the city, which had a pre-war population of about 450,000, was laid to waste in one of the bloodiest battles of Russia’s war.
The visit comes almost exactly a year after a Russian missile strike on the Mariupol Drama Theater on March 16, 2022, killed hundreds of people sheltering inside. Amnesty International has labeled the theater strike “a clear war crime.” Ukraine estimates that 20,000 civilians died during Russia’s months-long siege.
Ukrainian Premier Announces Cabinet Changes (5 p.m.)
Oleksandr Kamyshin, former chief executive officer of the national railway company Ukrzaliznytsia, will be appointed next week as Ukraine’s minister for strategic industries, said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
All top officials visiting Kyiv use Ukrzaliznytsia to get to the capital from Poland, since Ukraine’s passenger airports have been closed since the first day of Russia’s invasion.
Shmyhal, who met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s party on Saturday to discuss his cabinet’s changes, also said Ukraine’s minister of education will be replaced.
Ukraine Grain Export Deal Renewed; Duration in Debate (3:30 p.m.)
The agreement allowing Ukraine to export grains and other crops out of key Black Sea ports was renewed hours before it was due to expire.
While Ukraine’s infrastructure minister said the pact, originally brokered last summer by Turkey and the UN, has been extended for four months, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said the agreement was for 60 days.
Read more: Ukraine Grain Deal Renewed, Clearing Way for Continued Exports
Putin Flies to Crimea for ‘Reunification’ Event, Russian TV Says (2 p.m.)
Vladimir Putin made an unannounced visit to Sevastopol in Crimea on Saturday to mark the ninth anniversary of the peninsula’s 2014 annexation by Russia, according to a video posted on state television.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had said on Friday that the Russian leader planned to take part in celebrations via video link.
Russia, China, Iran Wrap Up Naval Exercises in Arabian Sea (12:43 p.m.)
Russia, China and Iran have completed a fourth round of naval exercises in the Arabian Sea, Interfax reported, citing Russia’s defense ministry. Iranian media reported that the drills, dubbed “Marine Security Belt 2023,” included nighttime shooting operations against aerial targets.
The Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov and the Chinese destroyer Nanjing took part in exercises, held on Thursday and Friday. The war games follow others last month involving Russia, China and South Africa, where the Gorshkov, which is fitted with hypersonic Zircon missiles, was also deployed.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week is making his first state visit to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, while there are concerns that China may start supplying military aid to Moscow.
Germany, Japan Welcome Putin Arrest Warrant (11:30 a.m.)
The leaders of Japan and Germany jointly welcomed the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for his alleged role in unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children to Russia.
“No one is above the law. This is also an important principle of international law,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told reporters after talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Kishida said his government was following the investigation “with great interest.”
US, Ukrainian Officials Discuss Battlefield, Kyiv’s Military Needs
Top US officials including National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a video meeting with Ukraine’s president and his chief of staff, defense minister and top military commanders.
The participants, who also included Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces and top ground and air defense commanders, discussed Kyiv military needs, including weapons and ammunition, chief of staff Andriy Yermak on Telegram.
The officials held detailed discussions on the situation on the battlefield, including the most difficult combat operations, and about the urgent needs of Ukrainian army, Yermak said.
Russia Launches Drone Attack Overnight (8 a.m.)
Air-raid sirens sounded widely across Ukraine on Saturday morning.
Russia launched an attack with 16 Iranian-made single-use drones on Friday night from the Bryansk region and the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov, Ukraine’s air defence force said on Saturday. Kyiv’s forces shot down 11 drones in the central, eastern and western regions.
Two drones “significantly” damaged critical infrastructure in Novomoskovsk in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, regional head Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram. Three drones hit buildings near Yavoriv in the far western Lviv region. Yavoriv is 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the Polish border and close to Ukraine’s largest military training facility.
Biden Says Putin’s Arrest Warrant From ICC is ‘Justified’ (8 a.m.)
President Joe Biden said Friday the International Criminal Court arrest warrant, accusing Russia’s Vladimir Putin of war crimes, was “justified.”
Neither the US nor Russia has signed onto the ICC’s Rome Statute, so the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court is limited in both countries.
“He clearly committed war crimes,” Biden said outside the White House on Friday night. He called the warrant “justified,” adding that although the US doesn’t recognize the court, “I think it makes a very strong point.”
Russia Likely to Widen Conscription Efforts, UK Says (7 a.m.)
Russia may be “preparing to facilitate wider military conscription to resource its military requirements,” the UK defense ministry said in a Twitter update.
The UK noted that Russia’s Duma introduced a bill to change the age bracket of men eligible for conscription to 21 to 30 years, against the current 18 to 27. If passed, the measure would come into effect in January.
“Many 18 to 21 year old men currently claim exemption from the draft due to being in higher education. The authorities are highly likely changing the age bracket to bolster troop numbers by ensuring that students are eventually forced to serve,” the UK said.
ADM Restarts Ukraine Oilseed Crushing Plant (11 p.m.)
US commodities firm Archer-Daniels-Midland has reopened its oilseed crushing plant in southern Ukraine, in another sign that crop trading companies are feeling more optimistic about the outlook for shipments out of the country.
The Chornomorsk plant has recently resumed operations, a spokeswoman for ADM said Friday. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced the company to suspend its operations last year.
Read more: ADM Restarts Oilseed Crushing Plant in Ukraine After a Year
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