A few days before the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin began his long-awaited state of the country speech just after 12 noon local time.
The speech at the Gostiny Dvro event centre in Moscow will be broadcast live on state television. The Kremlin leader spoke before the representatives of the Federal Assembly, which consists of the Duma (lower house) and the Federation Council (upper house), and soldiers who have fought in Ukraine.
According to the Kremlin, Putin talks about the war and the current situation in Russia. He will also discuss economics and social policy. Western sanctions are putting the Russian economy under enormous pressure.
“I am speaking at a difficult and crucial time for Russia, in a period of enormous changes worldwide,” Putin said.
This Friday, February 24, marks one year since the president ordered the invasion of Ukraine. This speech was Putin’s eighteenth annual state of the nation to date. The previous one dates from just under two years ago, in April 2021. There was none last year; the president then knows that from the high “dynamics of events”.
