Russia's former leader Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday he visited troops near the frontline in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, upon orders from President Vladimir Putin.
Several high-ranking Russian officials have visited occupied regions of Ukraine since Moscow's offensive began last year, including Putin, who paid an unannounced visit to the southeastern Ukrainian port of Mariupol in March.
"On the instructions of the president, I visited a firing range near the contact line on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic," said Medvedev, who formerly served as president and prime minister.
"The servicemen are demonstrating excellent combat qualities of will, firmness and a general attitude to victory," Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Kremlin's Security Council, said in a video posted on social media.
He added that "over 325,000 people" had been recruited into the Russian Armed Forces since the start of the year — up from the figure of 280,000 he gave at the start of the month.
AFP was not able to independently verify these numbers.
Medvedev has been one of Moscow's most hawkish voices in support of the Ukraine offensive and often denounces the West in inflammatory posts on social media.
Russia claimed to annex Ukraine's regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in September 2022, but does not fully control any of them.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
