Putin allegedly visits Luhansk and Kherson oblasts– Russian propaganda

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has allegedly visited the headquarters of the Dnepr military group on the Kherson front.

Source: Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, referring to the press service of the Russian President 

Quote: "Vladimir Putin at the headquarters of the Dnepr military group on the Kherson front listened to reports from Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, the commander of the Air Force, Colonel General Oleg Makarevich, the commander of the Dnepr military group, and other military commanders.

Details: It was noted that Putin was interested in the situation on the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia fronts.

Update: Later, Russian propagandists released a video that allegedly confirms Putin’s visit to Ukraine. The video shows Putin arriving in a small town or village. He gets out of his car, surrounded by security guards, and meets someone from the military. However, it is not clear from the video exactly where Putin is. 

Other footage shows the Russian dictator at a military headquarters. A large banner behind his back reads "Dnepr Group of Forces. Command Post". Presumably, this banner is meant to convince Russians that Putin visited Ukraine.

Російські пропагандисти заявили, що Путін відвідав штаб "Днєпр" і штаб Національної гвардії "Восток" на тимчасово окупованій території Луганської області. Відео з Telegram-каналу "Ви слухали Маяк" pic.twitter.com/F4evnkbPL5

— Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) April 18, 2023

The video shows Putin getting out of a helicopter, getting into a car and driving across a military camp with many tents, a large amount of military equipment, helicopters and planes marked with the Z letter [which the Russian forces often use to mark their equipment - ed.]; a Russian flag, also marked with the Z, flies in the background. The video was allegedly shot in the Russian-occupied part of Luhansk Oblast, though it is unclear exactly where Putin is.

Then he allegedly enters the headquarters of the Vostok [East] Group of Forces.

Російські пропагандисти також показали, що Путін виходить із гелікоптера, сідає в машину і їде через військове містечко з великою кількістю техніки і літаків. Відео з Telegram-каналу "Ви слухали Маяк" pic.twitter.com/zxLoEPUKRe

— Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) April 18, 2023

The video again shows a large banner bearing the name of the group of forces in the background, but there is no real evidence that Putin has been to Ukraine.

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