Thread by @France24_en

🔴 Russian President Vladimir Putin gives a speech now, nearly one year after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Follow it live here ⤵️ twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…

🔴 Russian President Vladimir Putin starts his speech by calling the present time "important , complex and very decisive".

"A year ago, for the safety of our country and citizens, [..] we started carrying out the necessary actions" in Ukraine ⤵️

🔴 "We did everything possible to resolve the Donbas problem peacefully," says Russian President Vladimir #Putin.

But the "West prepared different a scenario," Putin says ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 #Putin says he was ready to have an "open dialogue" with the West about world security prior to #Moscow's full-scale invasion, which began on February 24 last year.

Putin says that NATO was moving closer to #Russia's border as a provocation ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 Putin blames the West for starting the conflict in Ukraine.

"It's them [the West] who started the war," he says.

#LIVE 🔴 #Putin says the West is diverting people's attention from corruption scandals and other problems with the #warinUkraine.

Putin also says that trillions of dollars are at stake for West ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 "We are not waging war with the Ukrainian people. They are in a hostage situation, politically and militarily, occupied by the West."

"Military action [by Russia] had to be launched" ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 Putin says Moscow's next steps will be to strengthen its army and navy, taking into account its "special military operation".

#Putin says he will provide families of fallen Russian soldiers “targeted support” with a new special fund ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 #Putin says Western sanctions have not succeeded in defeating #Russia on the economic front.

"They want to make the people suffer, but their calculation did not materialise. The Russian economy and the management turned out to be much stronger than they thought" ⤵️

#LIVE 🔴 #Putin accused the West of threatening #Russia's very existence with the #Ukrainewar.

But the speech contained a lot of his usual anti-West rhetoric.

Here is our commentator @ofarry with some analysis of the speech ⤵️

@ofarry 🔴🇷🇺 What were #Putin's main messages in his speech?

➖ West is creating global war to destroy Russia
➖ Russians back military campaign in Ukraine
➖ Russia has all the resources we need
➖ West started conflict, seeking "unlimited power"

@ofarry 🔴🇷🇺 #Putin promised that Russia would "systematically" continue its offensive against #Ukraine in his speech.

That is despite #Moscow's failure to achieve its military objectives as the first anniversary of its invasion approaches.

Follow event #live ⤵️
f24.my/9Ggz.t

@ofarry 🇷🇺🔴 #Putin announced that Moscow would suspend its participation in the last remaining arms control treaty between the world's two main nuclear powers, Russia and the US.

Military analyst @FrankLedwidge66 tells us more ⤵️

@ofarry @FrankLedwidge66 🇷🇺🔴🇺🇸 Following Vladimir Putin's speech this morning, Joe Biden is giving a duelling speech this afternoon.

Two starkly differing takes on Russia's invasion of Ukraine are expected.

Stay tuned to FRANCE 24 to catch Biden's speech later ⤵️