Putin makes surprise visit to Donbass
On the heels of his surprise visit to Crimea on Saturday, President Vladimir Putin reportedly made an unannounced working trip to Mariupol, the Black Sea port city which was liberated by Russian forces last spring amid the military operation in Ukraine, and joined Russia as part of the Donetsk People’s Republic following a referendum in September. Putin arrived in Mariupol by helicopter and drove several districts of the city, accompanied by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin. The president inspected the progress of the reconstruction and restoration efforts, including “new residential districts, social and educational facilities, housing and communal services infrastructure, medical institutions.” He also allegedly toured the “coastline in the area of the yacht club, the theater building,” as well as other “memorable places” of the city.