MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia had "four new regions" in a speech in the Kremlin on Friday in which he outlined Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow's forces have partially seized during a seven-month conflict with Ukraine.

Russia declared the annexations after holding what it called referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine. Western governments and Kyiv said the votes breached international law and were coercive and unrepresentative.

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