MOSCOW. March 6 (Interfax) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited Mariupol and inspected performance of military builders, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
"Russian Defense Minister Gen. of the Army Sergei Shoigu has inspected performance of the Russian Defense Ministry's military construction units repairing Donbas infrastructure as part of his working trip to the special military operation's zone," the ministry said.
"In the city of Mariupol in the Donetsk People's Republic, the Russian defense minister inspected the readiness of commissioned facilities and the progress of work at the sites of construction of buildings and facilities," it said.
On May 20, 2022, the ministry said that the withdrawal of surrendered Ukrainian troops from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol was completed and Russian forces took full control of the city. The Russian military reported resumed operation of the Mariupol port on the Sea of Azov on May 25, 2022.
The Russian Defense Ministry released the footage of Shoigu's arrival in Mariupol by helicopter in the company of his deputy, Timur Ivanov, who is in charge of accommodation and healthcare in the Armed Forces.
"Sergei Shoigu was shown a multifunctional medical center, a republican rescue center of the Emergency Situations Ministry and a new neighborhood of 12 five-story residential buildings constructed by military builders," the ministry said.
"The Russian defense minister was briefed on an advanced compound of the Russian Federal Medical-Biological Agency and a new neighborhood unit of six nine-story residential buildings, a school and kindergartens under construction in Mariupol," it said.
"Sergei Shoigu listened to a report on the construction of a major water supply system between the Rostov region and the Donetsk People's Republic, which links the Don River to the Seversky Donets - Donbas canal to supply water to numerous populated localities in the region," the ministry said.
"The Russian defense minister lauded performance of the military construction sector and thanked military builders who took part in reconstruction of the Donbas social infrastructure," it said.
On March 4, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Shoigu visited the special military operation's zone in Ukraine on March 4 and inspected an outpost of the eastern group of forces in the southern Donetsk sector.
The ministry said later that day that Shoigu chaired a meeting with his deputies at the Russian contingent's headquarters to discuss the provision of weapons, military hardware and ammunition to the troops.
On March 5, the ministry said that Shoigu met with commanders of the groups of forces participating in the special military operation at the joint staff and was briefed on the current situation and plans of action.