Vladimir Putin has railed towards Western “dictatorship” as he declared Russian rule over 4 areas of Ukraine.
It is the largest pressured occupation for the reason that Second World War, amounting to fifteen% of Ukrainian territory.
Russia has been “reborn and strengthened”, the Russian president claimed throughout a ceremony on the Kremlin.
Following a collection of referendums described by Kyiv and the West as a “sham”, Mr Putin mentioned the individuals of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk had “made their choice” and determined to be ruled from Moscow.
Putin hosts Kremlin ceremony annexing elements of Ukraine – dwell updates
The outcomes are “definitive”, he claimed, including: “This is the will of millions of people. This is their right, their integral right.”
He mentioned these within the affected areas are “becoming our compatriots forever” and signed paperwork mentioned to include them into his nation.
Earlier this week, pro-Moscow officers mentioned 93% of the ballots forged in Zaporizhzhia had been in assist of annexation, as had been 87% of ballots within the southern Kherson area, 98% in Luhansk and 99% in Donetsk.
What has occurred is “emphasised in the principles of United Nations”, Mr Putin mentioned, and amounted to the “self-determination of people”.
The European Union firmly condemned the transfer inside minutes, saying it could by no means recognise “illegal” referendums held in Ukraine by Russian officers
It argued the referendums had been a pretext for “this further violation of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
The bloc additionally threatened additional sanctions to extend stress on Russia.
Giorgia Meloni, broadly anticipated to be named Italian prime minister subsequent month, mentioned Russia’s annexation of the 4 Ukrainian areas had “no legal and political value”.
In a press release, she mentioned Mr Putin “once again demonstrates his Soviet-style, neo-imperialist vision that threatens the security of the entire European continent”.
UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres described the annexations as an unlawful violation of the UN constitution.
Mr Putin urged the “Kyiv regime to immediately cease hostilities and return to the negotiation table”.
Regarding the West, he claimed that ever for the reason that collapse of the Soviet Union, Western nations had “decided that the world would forever have to put up with its dictates”.
He went on: “The West expected that Russia would not be able to cope with such dictates and fall apart, but Russia has been reborn and strengthened.”
Regarding the individuals of the Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk) the Russian president claimed they had been “victims of inhumane terrorist attacks conducted by the Kyiv regime”.
Expanding on his theme, he claimed that for years, individuals there had been “subjected to genocide and shelling”.
He added: “In Kherson, they tried to cultivate hatred for Russia. And, lately, the Kyiv regime threatened death and punishment to teachers.
“They had been threatening repressions to the thousands and thousands of people that supported Russia.”
As Mr Putin made his presentation in the Kremlin’s Georgievsky Hall, Russian forces were facing further setbacks on the battlefield.
Pro-Moscow officials have acknowledged that Russian troops are on the verge of encirclement in Lyman, their main garrison in the north of Donetsk.
Thus Ukraine could be on the way toward recapturing swathes of territory that Mr Putin has just declared to be part of Russia.
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Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mentioned assaults towards any a part of the affected areas could be interpreted as acts of aggression towards Russia itself.
Prime Minister Liz Truss has mentioned the UK won’t ever take into account the areas as “anything other than Ukrainian territory”.
She added that Mr Putin had “acted in violation of international law” and had “clear disregard for the lives of the Ukrainian people he claims to represent”.
The PM continued: “Putin cannot be allowed to alter international borders using brute force. We will ensure he loses this illegal war.”
US President Joe Biden has mentioned the referendums’ outcomes had been “manufactured in Moscow”, describing them as a “flagrant violation of the UN charter”.
Source: information.sky.com”