Putin pays surprise visit to occupied Mariupol, state media reports

[Still Waters]

Russian President Vladimir Putin has paid a surprise visit to Mariupol, a Ukrainian port captured by Russia after its forces pounded much of it to ruins.

An official video shows Mr Putin driving a car through streets at night and speaking to people. The Kremlin says it happened late on Saturday.

It is believed to be his first trip to a newly-occupied Ukrainian territory.

Mariupol's exiled mayor told BBC News that Mr Putin was a "criminal" who had "returned to the scene of the crime".

"He has come in person to see what he has done," Vadym Boychenko said. "He's come to see what he will be punished for."

Other exiled Ukrainian city officials said Mr Putin had visited at night so he would not see the destroyed city in daylight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65004610

[Occult1]

I interpret to mean that Ukraine's chance of retaking Crimea and Mariupol are close to zero.

Edited March 19 by Occult1

[Buzz_Light_Year]

But is it Putin?

 

[Still Waters]

43 minutes ago, Buzz_Light_Year said:

But is it Putin?

I've seen the same doubts posted about him in this thread too.

In the videos it appears to be him, but who knows.

[Occult1]

1 hour ago, Buzz_Light_Year said:

But is it Putin?

The security arrangements make it very likely.

According to reports, he flew to Mariupol in a helicopter late on Saturday night. Putin and his team went to very specific places and only met with a handful of civilians.

The whole thing was carefully staged both for international media and domestic consumption.

Edited March 19 by Occult1

[+Grim Reaper 6]

36 minutes ago, Occult1 said:

The security arrangements make it very likely.

According to reports, he flew to Mariupol in a helicopter late on Saturday night. Putin and his team went to very specific places and only met with a handful of civilians.

The whole thing was carefully staged both for international media and domestic consumption.

Body double, will the real Vladimir Putin please stand up!

 

[Occult1]

21 minutes ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

Body double, will the real Vladimir Putin please stand up!

If Putin uses a body double, then there is no reason we shouldn't believe Zelensky also uses one.

I would be more skeptical of Putin's visit to Mariupol if he was filmed among a large cheering crowd, in full daylight.

A surprise, pre-planned visit to Crimea or Mariupol is relatively low-risk. These areas are secure from the Russian POV. They are not front lines or under threat of bombardment.

Edited March 19 by Occult1

[+Grim Reaper 6]

15 minutes ago, Occult1 said:

If Putin uses a body double, then there is no reason we shouldn't believe Zelensky also uses one.

There is no proof of this at all, if you have any proof of this please post it.

Video Fuels Conspiracy Theory About Zelensky's 'Body Double': https://www.newsweek.com/video-fuels-conspiracy-theory-about-zelenskys-body-double-1784095

15 minutes ago, Occult1 said:

I would be more skeptical of Putin's visit to Mariupol if he was filmed among a large cheering crowd, in full daylight.

A surprise, pre-planned visit to Crimea or Mariupol is relatively low-risk. These areas are secure from the Russian POV. They are not front lines or under threat of bombardment.

There is no such thing as low risk, Putin has had a number of attempts on his life since the invasion began. Ukrainian resistance movements within occupied areas have been active and effective, so I doubt Putin would show his face in occupied territories.

JIMHO

[Occult1]

1 hour ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

There is no proof of this at all, if you have any proof of this please post it.

There is no 'proof' that Putin uses a body double either. In fact, he denied such claims in 2020.

Putin dismisses rumours he uses body doubles for security

''Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted he was offered the chance to use a body double for security purposes, but rejected the idea.''

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51658065

 

The best you have been able to offer as 'evidence' for your claim is propaganda news using Ukrainian officials as a source.

 

Quote

There is no such thing as low risk, Putin has had a number of attempts on his life since the invasion began. Ukrainian resistance movements within occupied areas have been active and effective, so I doubt Putin would show his face in occupied territories.

Which is why the visit was unannounced and carefully staged to reduce such risks to bare minimum. 

No doubt a perimeter was established by Russian military behind cameras and he was visibly surrounded by his personal security team.

Crimea and Mariupol are not front lines cities. There is no active combat in Mariupol since may 22, no more bombardment or shelling.

Those are probably the two safest place for him to appear inside Russian-controlled territories in Ukraine.

Edited March 19 by Occult1

[Still Waters]

Moving on:

Putin in Mariupol: What the Russian president saw on his visit

The BBC has traced part of the route he took, which passed near the locations of several notorious attacks during his army's months-long assault. Russia finally overran the city in May.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65007289

[+Grim Reaper 6]

Quote

Vladimir Putin may have wanted to be seen leading with his chin, but the facial feature has fueled speculation about whether his appearance in the Moscow-occupied city of Mariupol was the real deal. "Which one do you think is the real one?" tweeted Ukrainian internal affairs adviser Anton Geraschchenko next to a montage of three images of the Russian leader with the bottom of his head circled.

The pictures compared Putin's profile taken on the trip to the southern Ukrainian port city on Saturday with appearances in the Crimean city of Sevastopol the day before, and in Moscow on February 21. It sparked a thread in which some remarked that last month's image showed Putin with a tighter chin than the one he had displayed over the last few days.

Pictures of Vladimir Putin's Chin Spark Conspiracy Theories (msn.com)

[Alchopwn]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:51 AM, Occult1 said:

I interpret to mean that Ukraine's chance of retaking Crimea and Mariupol are close to zero.

Crimea is extremely vulnerable to siege.  It relies on external water and food.  Cut off the Kerch Bridge, sink Russian Black Sea shipping, and cut the overland route and it is a matter of time before Crimea will simply be abandoned by Russia without firing a shot... Of course Ukraine will bombard military positions in Crimea to encourage the invaders to leave...