President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia made a visit to the city of Rostov-on-Don to meet with military commanders, according to a statement from the Kremlin on Saturday. This visit marked the first publicized trip to the military hub since it was seized in a brief rebellion led by the Wagner mercenary chief in June.
The exact date of Putin’s visit was not specified by the Kremlin. However, it was confirmed that he held a meeting with the chief of the Russian military, Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov. This meeting is significant as both General Gerasimov and the Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, were the primary targets of criticism by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner private military company, leading up to the rebellion that caused a crisis in the country and questioned Putin’s leadership.
Despite the recent mutiny and ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Putin has been actively maintaining a schedule of public appearances to assert his authority. The visit to Rostov-on-Don, which seemingly took place at night, further showcases Putin’s commitment to supporting his top generals. However, it is worth noting that General Sergei Surovikin, who is considered to have been closest to Prigozhin, has not been seen in public since the rebellion.
Rostov-on-Don is home to the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District, which serves as a strategic command center for Putin’s activities in Ukraine. Prigozhin briefly controlled the headquarters before his forces started advancing towards Moscow.
In a separate development on Saturday, Russia’s military claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian missile targeting the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. The Russian Defense Ministry asserted that an S-200 surface-to-air missile was intercepted by air defense systems, resulting in no injuries or damage. However, the veracity of this claim could not be independently verified.
This incident follows a previous announcement by Moscow that it had successfully intercepted two missiles fired by Ukraine at the Kerch Strait Bridge, a crucial link between Crimea and Russia. Ukrainian officials, while not explicitly confirming the attack, have stated their intention to continue targeting the peninsula and the bridge in their efforts to disrupt Russian military supply lines.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue their slow-moving counteroffensive in the eastern part of the country. Their objective is to reach the Sea of Azov and create a divide in the land bridge connecting Russia and Crimea, which is vital for the Russian military’s logistical operations.
In other news related to the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine arrived in Sweden where he expressed his commitment to bilateral cooperation, particularly in the defense industry, European integration, and security in the Euro-Atlantic space. Zelensky also voiced Ukraine’s support for Sweden’s desire to join NATO, a development that received backing from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July.
Additionally, President Biden participated in the Camp David Summit with the leaders of Japan and South Korea. During the summit, Biden praised Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for Japan’s support of Ukraine. He highlighted the importance of international assistance to Kyiv and the potential impact on China’s perception of Taiwan.
As the situation in the war continues to evolve, further updates and developments are expected to shape the ongoing conflict.
This article includes reporting contributions from Paul Sonne and Marc Santora.