Putin’s “Land Grab” Gets a Grand Finale – Ukraine Calls It a Kremlin Freak Show
At a ceremony that Ukraine blasted as a Kremlin freak show, Russian President Vladimir Putin will officially declare the annexation of four Ukrainian regions on Friday, September 30. The move adds a wild new chapter to his seven‑month war.
Why the Crowd Isn’t Buying It
Moscow’s proxies in the occupied territories hosted hastily staged referendums—reportedly with 99 % of voters saying “yes” to joining Russia. Ukraine and Western governments slammed the votes as bogus, illegitimate and conducted at gunpoint. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called them a futile attempt to mask a land grab.
Moscow’s Official Stance
“People chose freely to return to their historic motherland,” the Kremlin insists. The ceremony will take place at 3 pm (8 pm Singapore time) in the marble‑lined St George’s Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, a setting that looks straight out of a propaganda brochure.
What’s Really Going On
Despite the pomp, the timing is risky for Putin. Ukraine’s recent offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region flipped the battlefield, and last week the Kremlin announced a controversial partial mobilisation that sent thousands of fighting‑age men fleeing the country. Even loyal Kremlin allies called the call‑up chaotic, and Putin himself said all mistakes must be corrected.
- Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia & Kherson will be annexed
- Four new ‘Russian territorial gestures’ for the reshaping of Europe
- Russia’s gamble could backfire – more than just a PR stunt
Bottom Line
Putin’s grand announcement is less about nation‑building and more about a power‑play that’s likely to reverberate far beyond the Kremlin walls. Whether the world will treat it as a political move or a blatant grab remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Ukraine stands firm, and the rest of the world watches with a mix of skepticism, dread, and a little bit of diplomatic humour.
Nuclear threat
Russia’s Rapid‑Fire Annexations and the Nuclear Cliffhanger
What’s going on? Russia is still big‑handedly controlling most of Luhansk and Kherson, but only about 60 % of Donetsk and 70 % of Zaporizhzhia. That means front lines are now snaking through land Russia claims as its own—territory that, according to the Kremlin, could trigger a nuclear bummer if tensions go off the rails.
Bluff or Beef? Western Nations’ Take
- Some Western politicians say Putin’s nuclear warning is a bluff.
- Putin fired back: “That’s not even a real threat.”
- And the United States has already threatened Russia with “catastrophic consequences” if a nuclear option is deployed.
Ukrainian Voice: “Freak Show”
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak swooped in on Thursday, calling the Kremlin’s sham annexations a “freak show” and entirely “legally meaningless.” He tweeted, “Non‑existent entities cannot enter a country which is disintegrating.”
Guterres Calls It Out
UN Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres slammed the move, saying it had “no legal value” and should be condemned. He reminded us that messing with sovereign borders isn’t just a game—it’s a global crisis.
Inside the Kremlin’s “Victory” Parade
Kirill Stremousov, a Russian‑installed official from Kherson, entertained himself by posting a video of his pose beside the Kremlin’s Red Square, proudly declaring: “Victory is ours. We are Russia.”
Next up: The Big Bash
The Kremlin hasn’t confirmed if Putin will actually be there to lift the horns at the celebratory concert in the square on Friday evening. He’s scheduled to address parliament later, setting the stage for a potential ratification of annexation “on or before October 7”—the day he’s supposed to turn 70.
The Bottom Line
It’s a high‑stakes dance. The front lines cut through contested zones, nuclear warnings are hot‑wired, and the political chatter is louder than a Russian war drum. Keep your eyes peeled—this saga is far from over.
