Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who speaks for President Vladimir Putin, described the president’s planned appearance via videoconference at the opening of a new tram line in Mariupol, a city in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The message indicated that Putin would participate remotely from St. Petersburg, signaling the tram network’s readiness to resume service in the city. The update was widely reported by TASS, the state news agency, and by other outlets that monitor Kremlin communications for official activity.
Peskov explained that Putin would take part in the ceremony through video mode not long after the formal invitation, highlighting the significance attached to restarting tram operations in Mariupol. The spokesperson stressed that this step would bring trams back into daily use, serving as a tangible sign of urban recovery after a period of disruption. He also noted that the president had a demanding schedule that day and had been working in St. Petersburg prior to the event, with arrangements in place for a coordinated rollout of this public transport milestone.
Earlier in the day, authorities confirmed that the first 10-kilometer segment of the tram route in Mariupol had been restored, part of a broader effort to reestablish essential city infrastructure. In the run-up to the ceremony, Putin was described as conducting a thorough inspection of the area through multiple modes of transport and on-the-ground observation. Reports portrayed his approach as a hands-on visit aimed at assessing practical conditions in the city rather than a ceremonial display.
During his Mariupol visit, the president was said to travel around the city by helicopter and then by car through several districts. He met residents in the Nevsky microdistrict, toured residential and coastal areas, and visited cultural landmarks such as the theater building along with other notable sites. When asked by journalists about the choice to visit areas deemed risky, Putin framed the trip as a long-overdue, on-the-ground assessment to understand the situation firsthand, rather than a show of strength or bravado. This sequence of travel appears to reflect a broader narrative of infrastructure restoration, urban resilience, and public reassurance in the wake of significant disruption and reconstruction across the city. [citation: TASS]