Sergey Kiriyenko, first deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Russia, arrived in Mariupol (Donetsk region) to prepare the "parade".
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense announced this in a Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"The first deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Russia, responsible for the domestic policy of the Russian Federation, Sergey Kiriyenko, arrived in the destroyed Mariupol. It is known that recently it was he who became the new Kremlin curator of issues on ORDLO," the statement says.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the main task of Putin's official is to prepare "ceremonial events" on May 9.
Intelligence knows that the Russian leadership refuses to hold a "holiday" in occupied Donetsk, including an imitation of a military parade; currently, preparatory work on these issues is not being carried out in the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk "people's republics".
The Main Intelligence Directorate notes that Mariupol, according to Russia's plans, should become the center of "celebrations".
"For this purpose, urgent cleaning of the central streets from rubble, bodies of killed people and unexploded Russian ammunition is being carried out in the city," the statement says.
Besides, a large-scale propaganda campaign continues, during which the Russians will be shown stories about the "joy" of local residents from meeting with the occupiers.
To prepare such materials, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov and Denis Pushilin, head of the Donetsk occupation administration, visited Mariupol.
As Ukrainian News Agency reported, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the occupying Russian authorities are preparing to annex the occupied territories of southern Ukraine to the temporarily occupied Crimea, and also ordered stamps and seals for Mariupol from private enterprises in Rostov region with the inscription: "Russia, the Republic of Donbas, Mariupol."
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.