Vladimir Putin has signed “accession treaties” formalising Russia’s illegal annexation of four occupied regions in Ukraine, marking the largest forcible takeover of territory in Europe since the second world war. Shortly after, Putin signed the “accession treaties” on a podium alongside the Russian-installed heads of the four regions. After signing the treaties, the leaders gathered around Putin, linking hands and joining chants of “Russia! Ukraine has indicated it will fight to reclaim all its lands, while western allies have previously said they would never recognise Russia’s claims on Ukraine’s territory. “The way that Putin speaks about Ukraine, it is clear that for him this is an existential problem.

Source: The Guardian September 30, 2022 22:10 UTC