Moscow, Oct 20 (EFE).- Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the command post of the Russian Armed Forces in Rostov-on-Don, a city near the Ukranian border, the Kremlin reported Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) speaks with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Valery Gerasimov, in the headquarters of the Russian Armed Forces in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, 20 October 2023. EFE/EPA/GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/KREMLIN / POOL MANDATORY CREDIT

According to the official statement, “the head of state heard a report from the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Valery Gerasimov, on the progress of the special military operation” in Ukraine.

Russia refers to its invasion of and offensive in the neighboring country as a “special military operation.”

“The president also had other conversations with representatives of the senior leadership of the Ministry of Defense,” the short statement added without offering more details about the visit.

The Russian state news agency TASS reported that Gerasimov told Putin that Russian forces were “fulfilling their objectives in accordance with the plan.”

The president has visited the armed forces barracks in Rostov-on-Don on several occasions, the latest in August of this year.

The current visit follows Putin’s return from China, where he attended the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and held a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. EFE

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