MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday visited Russian soldiers wounded in Ukraine in a rare face-to-face meeting with ordinary troops, as Kyiv pushed ahead with its counteroffensive against Moscow’s forces and fighting intensified over the weekend.

The Russian leader visited the soldiers at the Central Vishnevsky Military Clinic outside Moscow on “Russia Day”, a patriotic public holiday.

The Kremlin aired images of Putin wearing a dark suit and accompanied by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu in military attire.

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The officials stood in front of a row of men in blue hospital outfits, some of them in wheelchairs.

As he pinned a medal on one of the men, the 70-year-old Russian leader said: “I congratulate you.”

“I serve Russia,” the soldier replied, shaking Putin’s hand.

The meeting appeared to take place under heavy security.

The TASS news agency said Putin presented the commander of a rifle platoon the “Hero of Russia Star” – a Soviet-era medal that is the highest award in Russia.

More than a year since launching Moscow’s Ukraine offensive, Putin has rarely met with servicemen taking part in the operation.

In his New Year’s Eve address marking the end of 2022, he appeared with what the Kremlin said were soldiers.

He had visited wounded soldiers in May last year.