DERANGED despot Vladimir Putin has accused the West of trying to destroy Russia as he delivers his annual state of the nation speech.
It comes just two weeks before a sham election that is set to hand the tyrant another six years in power.
sky newsPutin delivering his state of the nation address[/caption]
AFPPutin arriving at the Gostiny Dvor conference centre in central Moscow[/caption]
sky newsHe is addressing both houses of the Russian parliament[/caption]
At the start of his venom-filled speech, Putin accused the West of trying to “destroy” Russia and claimed the US is “absolutely determined” to drive division in the country.
He went on to insist western Russia must be “properly protected” after Nato welcomed Sweden and Finland into its alliance.
The rambling tyrant claimed Nato forces are “preparing to strike out territory”.
But he insisted the retaliation would be “much more tragic”.
In a thinly veiled threat Putin warned the West was in “danger of nuclear conflict” if they sent troops to Ukraine.
Putin also boasted how Russia has weapons “could defeat them on their own territory” in a chilling warning.
The US and key European allies this week said they had no plans to send ground troops to Ukraine, after France hinted at the possibility.
Earlier in the speech, the dictator hailed the “overwhelming support” of the Russian population for what he still calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Before pausing for a moment of silence for what he called Russia’s “fallen heroes”, the tyrant claimed Moscow is fighting for its “freedom and independence”.
Kremlin puppet spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin personally worked on the content of the speech and has “dozens of phone and face-to-face contacts” with officials.
He is delivering his annual state of the nation to both houses of the Russian parliament.
It is the first time in several years Western journalists have been invited – but they have not been allowed in the hall itself.
At least 17 cinemas in Russia are screening the address free of charge and it is being aired on giant advertising screens in Moscow.
In last year’s rambled speech, Putin accused the West of trying to start a “global” war and made a veiled nuclear threat.
And while his speech was a near two-hour diatribe, the central message was clear – he blames the West for the war in Ukraine.
It comes as Putin is all but certain to be elected for a fifth time in March after two already brutal decades of his iron-fist rule.
The aging dictator, 71, has been in power since 1999 – and re-election would keep him in power until at least 2030.
As Putin continues to cement his power in Moscow, it is feared he is on the brink of another Hitler-style land grab as a breakaway region of Moldova has called on Russia for “protection.”
The Russian-controlled enclave of Transnistria, which shares a border with Ukraine begged Moscow for help against “pressure” from Chișinău.
The move came from pro-Russian officials who feared the region could become a new flashpoint in Russia‘s war with neighbouring Ukraine.
Meanwhile, leaked Russian military files have revealed Putin is much closer to unleashing a nuclear strike than ever feared.
The bombshell papers reveal what it would take for Putin to hit the red button – including an invasion by China.
Sabre-rattling Putin has repeatedly made chilling nuke threats – including vowing to wipe the UK off the map for supporting Ukraine.
The cache outlines in what scenarios Putin would trigger a nuclear response.
Despite Putin cozying up to Xi Jinping, the files reveal Russia’s eastern military district has rehearsed how a Chinese invasion could unfold.
Unrelated to the China war games, the files say an enemy landing on Russian soil or an imminent enemy attack using conventional weapons could also spark a nuclear response.
Meanwhile, the explosive papers also reveal a nuke could be deployed in the case of a defeat of units responsible for securing border areas.
EPAUkrainian flags wave in front of damaged residential buildings in Orikhiv, near the frontline in the Zaporizhzhia region[/caption]
East2WestRussian troops with Yars mobile nuclear missile launchers[/caption]