蜜芽传媒

President Vladimir Putin is preparing to announce the annexation of four regions of Ukraine that have been partially conquered by his army. The Kremlin says he will declare Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk to be Russian territory at a ceremony in Moscow.

Ukraine has said it will continue to fight for their liberation -- despite Mr Putin's veiled threat to use nuclear weapons to defend them. 蜜芽传媒 Newsday heard from the Ukrainian MP Maria Mezentseva, who questioned the premise of the expected annexation.

"This is just, you know, a joke for Ukraine that Putin is planning to conduct this annexation. [The Russians] are claiming more than 95 per cent support [in the referendum] - well, 0.5 per cent only actually participated."

"There has to be more military support to liberate our territories. We will continue to fight."

(Pic: Billboards naming the Ukrainian territories expected to be annexed are erected in Moscow; Credit: EPA)