Russia says its protection minister visited the Zaporizhzhia space of southern Ukraine.

Russia’s protection minister has visited troops close to the entrance line within the partly occupied Zaporizhzhia space of southern Ukraine, in keeping with a press release issued on Friday by the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Zaporizhzhia area, roughly half of which is occupied by Russian forces, is taken into account a probable focus of Ukraine’s looming counteroffensive.

Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned that its high official, Sergei Ok. Shoigu, inspected a ahead command put up within the Zaporizhzhia space, the place he was briefed on the “current situation” and “combat tasks performed by Russian troops.” A video accompanying the assertion on the Telegram messaging app confirmed Mr. Shoigu strolling by way of a warren of concrete underground passageways, assembly with commanders and pinning a medal on a soldier.

The ministry didn’t specify when or precisely the place the go to happened. As in March, when the ministry mentioned he visited the Donbas area of jap Ukraine, the main points of Mr. Shoigu’s journey couldn’t be independently verified.

It comes as Ukrainian officers have mentioned preparations for his or her counteroffensive are within the closing phases, and amid mounting indicators of hysteria in regards to the marketing campaign amongst Russian pro-war navy bloggers. In latest weeks, the Russian occupation authorities in additional than a dozen cities and villages within the Zaporizhzhia area have issued “mandatory” evacuation orders, citing intensified combating.

Some of the warfare’s deadliest fight in latest months has concerned Russian efforts to seize town of Bakhmut in jap Ukraine. As Ukrainian forces have made advances prior to now week to the north and south of town, Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the pinnacle of the Wagner non-public navy firm that has led a lot of the assault in Bakhmut, claimed that Ukraine’s counteroffensive already was “in full swing.”

Mr. Prigozhin, recognized for his outspoken and often-self-serving commentary, mentioned final week that Ukrainian forces had been intent on first attacking Wagner’s forces in and round Bakhmut after which would go on to focus on Zaporizhzhia.

In its assertion on Friday, Russia’s Defense Ministry mentioned that Mr. Shoigu had ordered commanders to “carry out comprehensive reconnaissance” to uncover Ukraine’s plans “in advance and prevent their implementation.”