President Vladimir Putin has paid a surprise visit to Mariupol, a Ukrainian city captured by Russian forces after months of conflict.

Russian state media broadcast footage showing Mr Putin driving a car through the streets at night, and speaking to people.

Mariupol has been under Russian occupation for more than 10 months after being devastated in one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the conflict. Ukraine says more than 20,000 people were killed there.

The visit is believed to be the Russian president’s first to a newly-occupied Ukrainian territory, and comes just days after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest, over the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

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