LUGANSK, April 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unexpected visit to the Lugansk People’s Republic reaffirms his involvement in the special military operation, LPR interim head Leonid Pasechnik said on Tuesday.

"I thank Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for his attention and sincere, thoughtful attitude to the defenders of our Motherland. <... >The sudden visit of the president is another confirmation of our leader's involvement in the progress of the special military operation," Pasechnik said on Telegram.

The LPR head highlighted that the trip was not announced in advance, the same as his trip to Mariupol in March.

On Monday, Putin visited the headquarters of the Dnepr battlegroup on the Kherson front and the headquarters of the National Guard East battlegroup in the LPR. During his visit, the head of state heard reports from military commanders on the situation on the Kherson, Zaporozhye and Lugansk fronts. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said the president has visited the new regions because it’s important to him to perform inspections of the headquarters in person and get information on the ground about the progress of the special military operation.