An increasingly unhinged Vladimir Putin tonight ludicrously boasted 'victory will be ours' seven months into his squalid invasion of Ukraine after the Russian tyrant illegally annexed four territories from Kyiv in the biggest military land grab since the Second World War.
The warmonger told thousands of flag-waving Russians gathered outside the gates of the Kremlin for a celebratory concert in Moscow's Red Square that people in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions had chosen to rejoin their 'historic motherland' - after his regime staged fake referendums there and rigged the outcomes at gunpoint.
Flanked by the leaders of their Russian-backed administrations as the multi-coloured spires of the 16th century St Basil's Cathedral loomed in the background, Putin vowed that Moscow would do everything to support the newly annexed regions, boost their security and rebuild their economies.
He then proclaimed: 'Welcome home!', before prompting chants of 'Russia!
Russia!' from the enormous crowd gathered in the vast square.
Huge video screens showed Putin leading the spectators in three cheers of 'Hurrah' for the annexed territories, followed by a rendition of the national anthem. Many in the crowd of thousands waved Russian flags as entertainers from across Russia and occupied parts of Ukraine performed patriotic songs.
Russian media reports said that employees of state-run companies and institutions were told to attend, and that students were allowed to skip classes,
It comes after a desperate and erratic Putin snarled that the four occupied Ukrainian regions would remain part of Russia 'forever' for 40 minutes during an official ceremony where he seized the territories - before launching into a rant about Western 'Satanism' and colonialism.
At his signing ceremony in the Kremlin's ornate St George's Hall, Putin accused the West of fueling the hostilities as part of what he called a plan to turn Russia into a 'colony' and a 'crowd of soulless slaves.' The hardening of his position, in the conflict that has killed and wounded tens of thousands of people, further raised tensions already at levels unseen since the Cold War.
In his unhinged address, Putin insisted that Ukraine must treat the Kremlin-managed votes 'with respect' - before accusing the US and its allies of seeking to destroy Russia.
His speech was littered with bizarre references ranging from Britain's Opium Wars in China in the 19th century to gender reassignment - before ominously threatening to use nuclear weapons in the event of an attack on Russia, including the four newly annexed Ukrainian territories.
Moscow has backed eastern Ukraine's separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions since declaring independence in 2014, weeks after the annexation of the Crimean peninsula.
Russia captured the southern Kherson region and part of neighboring Zaporizhzhia soon after Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24 this year.
Both houses of the Duma, Russia's puppet parliament, will meet next week to rubber-stamp the treaties for the regions to join Russia.
Putin's land grab and a partial troop mobilisation were attempts to avoid more battlefield defeats that could threaten his 22-year rule.
By formalising Russia's gains, he seemingly hopes to scare Ukraine and its Western backers with an increasingly escalatory conflict unless they back down - which they show no signs of doing.
Russia controls most of the Luhansk and Kherson regions, about 60% of the Donetsk region and a large chunk of the Zaporizhzhia region, where it seized Europe's largest nuclear power plant.
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The US announced sanctions for more than 1,000 people and firms connected to Russia's invasion, including its Central Bank governor.
Scroll down to read Putin's speech in full
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Denis Pushilin and Vladimir Saldo in Moscow's Red Square
Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen set at Red Square as he addresses a rally and a concert in Moscow
Vladimir Putin speaks as Leonid Pasechnik, leader of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, left, Denis Pushilin, leader of self-proclaimed of the Donetsk People's Republic, second left, Moscow-appointed head of Kherson Region Vladimir Saldo, second right, and Moscow-appointed head of Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky, right, stand near him
People holding Russian flags gather at Red Square
Vladimir Putin speaks in Moscow's Red Square while Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin stand near him
Putin greets Ukrainian separatist and poet Bogdana Neshcheryak during the concert
Russians gather to celebrate after a ceremony to sign treaties on new territories' accession to Russia
The four Ukrainian regions Putin seeks to steal are Luhansk and Donetsk, in the east, and Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in the south, but his armed forces are not in full control and fighting is continuing across all of them
People holding Russian flags gather at Red Square
Vladimir Putin speaks during celebrations marking the incorporation of regions of Ukraine to join Russia
In the fist row: Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaks as Leonid Pasechnik, leader of self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, left, Denis Pushilin, leader of self-proclaimed of the Donetsk People's Republic, second left, Moscow-appointed head of Kherson Region Vladimir Saldo, second right, and Moscow-appointed head of Zaporizhzhia region Yevgeny Balitsky, right, stand near him during celebrations marking the annexation of regions of Ukraine to join Russia in Red Square
Vladimir Putin is seen on a screen set at Red Square as he addresses a rally
TV screens show live broadcast of Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering his speech to people
Russians celebrate after a ceremony to sign treaties on new territories' accession to Russia
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Putin chants 'Russia' with the puppet 'leaders' of the four Ukrainian regions he now claims are part of his country, vowing to use 'all forces' to defend them - raising the fear he will resort to nukes
Vladimir Putin has announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions to Russia during a speech at the Kremlin, in which he also delivered a blistering tirade against the West
The speech was delivered inside the Kremlin's grand Georgian Hall in front of hundreds of Putin's henchmen, including the likes of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, and spy chief Sergey Naryshkin
Putin is given a standing ovation by his cronies as he delivers a blistering speech in the Kremlin in which he spoke of Russia's 'destiny' to liberate the world from what he called 'neo-colonialism'
Putin officially signs a decree accepting the four occupied regions of Ukraine as new territories of Russia, paving the way for him to escalate his war against his ex-Soviet neighbour
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Thousands of Russian troops are either partially or full encircled in Lyman, a city in the Donetsk region that Putin now claims is part of Russia - meaning they could be killed or captured in the coming hours
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