The essential
Russia will ratify this Friday the annexation of Ukrainian territories occupied by its army, and in which referendums were organized from September 23 to 27.
Vladimir Putin is due to deliver a speech announced as "voluminous" at 12:00 GMT.
He recognized the independence of the Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, according to decrees issued Thursday evening.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called an emergency meeting of his security council for Friday.
Far from laying down their arms, kyiv is instead demanding more from its Western allies.
The US Senate voted on Thursday a new envelope of more than 12 billion dollars, with a military component of some three billion to train, equip and pay Ukrainian troops.
Nord Stream 1 and 2: strong suspicions of sabotage hover after unexplained leaks from the Baltic gas pipelines.
kyiv denounces a “terrorist attack”.
Swedish intelligence is in charge of an investigation.
05:59
"Never, never, never"
"I want to be very clear about this: the United States will never, ever, ever recognize Russia's claims to the sovereign territory of Ukraine," US President Joe Biden told a summit in Washington. bringing together Pacific Island leaders on Thursday.
“The so-called referendums were a parody, an absolute parody.
The results were orchestrated in Moscow”, added the democrat, welcoming in passing the “sacrifice” of the Ukrainians to “save their people and maintain the independence of their country”.
05:54
Vote in the Security Council on a resolution condemning the "referendums"
The UN Security Council will vote this Friday on a resolution condemning the “referendums” for the annexation of several Ukrainian regions, a text which has no chance of being adopted because of the Russian right of veto.
The meeting will take place on Friday at 3:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. GMT), before another planned discussion on the leaks discovered on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, said the French Presidency of the Council.
05:44
Putin recognizes independence of Zaporizhia and Kherson regions
Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized the independence of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, according to presidential decrees issued late Thursday, a day before Russia finalized their annexation.
"I order to recognize state sovereignty and independence" of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, located in southern Ukraine, Putin said in these decrees.
Russia recognized the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) and the Lugansk People's Republic (LNR), at the request of their pro-Russian separatist leaders, in late February, shortly before the start of its offensive in Ukraine.
05:29
Hello and welcome
This live is devoted to the events of the day related to the Russian offensive in Ukraine and its consequences.
