“There are four new regions of Russia,” Putin said from the Kremlin in Moscow, according to a translation.
“The results are known, well known,” Putin said, referring to the series of annexations that the West described as a sham. He claimed the results were due to the will of millions of people, saying they had the right to self-determination.
How much self-determination can be exercised when surrounded by soldiers waving guns is, of course, one of the great unasked questions regarding the referenda.
“We will definitely rebuild the destroyed cities and towns, housing, schools, hospitals, theaters and museums. We will restore and develop industrial enterprises, factories, infrastructure, social security, pensions, healthcare, education,” the head of state said.
With Russian industrial production still in decline year on year as of August, it will be interesting to see where Putin hopes to get the output needed to carry out the promised rebuilding.
Now comes the question: When Ukraine retakes Kherson, will Putin nuke Kiev?
I find it funny how "democracy" is the greatest thing ever, right until a place votes for something that The Powers That Be don't like. See Italy as one example; they will be punished economically for voting the wrong way because we can't just call the Italian elections a "sham". Now the ethnic Russian provinces of Ukraine; yep, those elections were obviously a sham and illegitimate, just like the referendum in Crimea was in 2014, right?
To No One's Surprise, Putin "Annexes" The Donbass
I find it funny how "democracy" is the greatest thing ever, right until a place votes for something that The Powers That Be don't like. See Italy as one example; they will be punished economically for voting the wrong way because we can't just call the Italian elections a "sham". Now the ethnic Russian provinces of Ukraine; yep, those elections were obviously a sham and illegitimate, just like the referendum in Crimea was in 2014, right?
Well, Putin got his "land bridge" and now let us see if he can keep it.
The only thing worse than a dictatorship with thousands of nukes and sophisticated delivery systems? A weak one.