Today, Russia will officially own 15% of Ukraine: 10 things to know

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to host a Kremlin ceremony annexing four regions of Ukraine. The action comes after Russia stated that 99% of the people in the aforementioned territories were in favour of joining Russia. Putin’s decision, on the other hand, is expected to lead to increased international condemnation.

• In order to officially annex the seized Ukrainian provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia into Russia, Putin took the intermediary action of signing decrees. The Kremlin made the decrees available to the public.
• Putin will sign the documents for annexation in a lavish Kremlin hall and deliver a speech, according to Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman. On Red Square, a pop concert is anticipated.
• Massive television displays and billboards announcing the four regions as part of Russia have been set up on a stage in the Moscow square.
• About 15% of all of Ukraine is under Russian control, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. More than 90,000 square kilometres, or about the same as Hungary or Portugal, make up the area that Russia controls.
• According to Russia, the referendums - which purportedly asked residents of the four regions if they wanted to remain a part of Russia - were genuine and demonstrated widespread support. However, Ukraine and Western nations claimed there were fake surveys held in the Russian-occupied areas under duress.
• US President Joe Biden denounced Russia’s referendums and said Washington would never accept Russia's territorial claims against Ukraine. "The results were manufactured in Moscow," Biden said.
• President Zelenskiy of Ukraine promised a forceful response to the annexations and called an urgent meeting of his defence and security chiefs. He said that, in order for Russia to avoid the worst effects of the war, Putin would have to be stopped.
• At the annexation event, Putin will deliver a speech, meet with the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, as well as the leaders who were established by Russia in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia that Russian forces have occupied.
• Putin attended the Red Square concert in 2014 after Russia had annexed Crimea. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, however, did not clarify whether Putin would do so this time.
• As per officials from the Russian government, after the four territories are legally brought into Russia, they will be subject to Moscow's nuclear dominance. Putin has stated that, if required, he would protect Russian territory with nuclear weapons.

(With agency inputs)