Vladimir Putin signs decree to recognise breakaway Ukraine regions as independent states

President Putin has been giving a national televised address to the Russian people.

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Putin insisted that Ukraine was a creation of Russia. Complaining that it had been 'madness' to allow any former Soviet republics to leave the Soviet Empire, he declared that Ukraine had never had a consistent tradition as an independent nation, and blamed the US for supporting 'radicals'.

All this after a bizarre, carefully choreographed televised meeting of his security council today - where one by one Putin's subordinates gave their support to recognising the independence of two breakaway regions.

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