In a move that shocked absolutely no one, Vladimir Putin formally annexed the occupied portions of Ukraine to Russia, after referenda in the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson allegedly voted to secede from Ukraine and accede to the Russian Federation.

“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.

During a ceremony formalizing the annexation, Putin also pledged to rebuid the infrastucture of the annexed regions that he’s spent the last six months working tirelessly to destroy.

“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?