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Driving through the ruined city at night, Vladimir Putin has made his first visit to Mariupol - devastated when Russian forces besieged the city earlier on in the war.
The BBC has traced part of the route he took, which passed near the locations of several notorious attacks during his army's months-long assault. Russia finally overran the city in May.
Video released by Russian media show Mr Putin chatting to a companion as they head towards the city's concert hall. The Kremlin says the visit took place late on Saturday and Mr Putin decided "spontaneously" to tour the city.
Mariupol's Ukrainian mayor in exile Vadym Boychenko told the BBC that Mariupol was "personal" to Mr Putin because of what had happened there.
"We have to understand that Mariupol is a symbolic place for Putin, because of the fury he inflicted on the city of Mariupol. No other city was destroyed like that. No other city was under siege for so long. No other city was subjected to carpet bombing," he said.
"He has come in person to see what he has done," he added.
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