Putin was told Mariupol was a 'paradise' during his night-time visit. Daylight photos show how it really looks.

• Vladimir Putin paid a visit to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol over the weekend. 
• He tried to portray the visit as a triumph for Russia's efforts to rebuild the city it destroyed. 
• Yet pictures show buildings on Putin's route through the city still devastated by Russia's bombardment. 

On Saturday Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the occupied city of Mariupol, which Russian troops devastated in a months-long attack.

He saw a children's playground, a renovated theater, and new housing. Locals described it to him as a "little piece of paradise."

Notably, the trip took place after dark. Footage of Putin driving around showed nothing further than a few feet away. But daylight tells a different story.