The guy’s a bloody bore, all be it a dangerous one…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-60454795
Nato has tuned Ukraine into a theatre of war - Putin
This has been a long speech – 30 minutes and counting. Putin is only just getting to Nato.
One of his stated goals has been stopping Ukraine getting membership of the defensive alliance.
He said that the US and Nato have turned Ukraine into a “theatre of war”
Putin opened his address to the nation by discussing his view on history - and why, from his perspective, Ukraine simply isn't a state. It was an ominous start.
He is still talking - and now it is almost like the Russian leader is making a bid to run for president of Ukraine. He is talking about water prices and utilities going up, unemployment, poverty, and corruption.
His message: Is this the European civilisation they tricked you with?
Putin attacks the Ukrainian authorities
Putin has now moved on to criticising the Ukrainian authorities.
He called the events of 2014 – which saw protesters topple Ukraine’s pro-Russian president – a “coup”.
Putin says, without providing evidence, that Ukraine was being controlled from the “outside”.
Why does the West fear this move?
As Putin continues to deliver his address the nation, let's consider why Russia recognising the independence of two self-declared breakaway regions in Ukraine could be significant.
It goes beyond sanctions - which the EU has threatened to impose if Russia follows through with this.
Western powers fear such a move could be used as a pretext for Russia to invade its eastern neighbour.
That's because, since 2019, Russia has issued large numbers of passports to people living in the two regions.
Analysts say that if Donetsk and Luhansk were recognised as independent, Russia might send troops into Ukraine's east under the guise of protecting its own citizens.
Russia was robbed by Soviet Union collapse - Putin
Putin is now saying that Russia was "robbed" when the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991.
This is something he has spoken about before - he once called the collapse of the bloc a "geopolitical catastrophe".
Lenin disadvantaged Russia - Putin
Continuing his discussion of history, Putin criticises the former communist leader Vladimir Lenin, calling him the “author and architect” of Ukraine. He says he “disadvantaged” Russia.