President Joe Biden said this Friday (30) that the United States and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) “will not be intimidated” by Russian President Vladimir Putin and warned that the Atlantic Alliance will defend “every inch” of its territory.

Putin annexed Ukrainian territories after a referendum marred by threats from Russian troops and suspicions from the international community – Photo: Serhiy Bobok/AFP/ND

At the White House, Biden told Putin, pointing his finger at the TV camera, “The United States is fully prepared, along with our NATO allies, to defend every inch of NATO territory.”

“Mr. Putin, please understand what I am saying: every inch,” he added.

Biden’s remarks followed a ceremony in Moscow chaired by Putin announcing that Russia had annexed four Ukrainian territories, even as Western-armed Ukrainian forces continue to fight to regain control.

The Russian President hinted that since the territories were declared part of his country, the Kremlin could legally resort to nuclear weapons to protect them.

“Reckless threats,” said Biden, who believes Putin is trying to show strength when, in fact, “he’s in trouble.”

Biden also mentioned a congressional vote on Friday to approve additional $12.3 billion in military aid to Ukraine.

“Let’s keep this course. We will continue to supply military equipment so that Ukraine can defend itself, its territories and freedom,” he said.

Regarding the explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Biden, like other Western leaders, said that it was a “deliberate act of sabotage.”

He did not name who he believed was behind the attack, but called Russia’s allegations of Washington’s involvement “disinformation and lies.”

“We will work with our allies to sort out exactly what happened,” he told reporters.

“At the right time, when everything calms down, we will send divers to find out exactly what happened,” he explained.

He added that the United States is already working with allies to “better protect this critical infrastructure.”

Senior US Official Hints at Risk of Putin Using Nuclear Weapons, Though Doesn’t Seem ‘Inevitable’

There is a risk that Russian President Vladimir Putin will resort to nuclear weapons, although there are no signs of “imminent” use, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday.

“Given all of Putin’s talk and brandishing of nuclear weapons, there is a risk that he will think it over, and we clearly understand what the consequences will be,” Sullivan told reporters.

“At this time, we don’t see any signs of an imminent use of nuclear weapons,” he added, noting that Washington spoke privately, but “directly with Russia, about what a strong response the United States will have.”

Russia vetoes UN Security Council resolution on annexations; Brazil and China abstained

This Friday (30) Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Moscow’s annexation referendums in five regions of Ukraine in a vote that abstained from Brazil, China, Gabon and India.

The text proposed by the United States and Albania and submitted to the vote of 15 member countries of the Council received 10 votes in favour, one against (from Russia) and four abstentions.

The resolution condemned “illegal referendums” that “have no legal effect” and “cannot serve as a basis for any change in the status of these regions”, including “any alleged annexation”.

He also called on Russia to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its armed forces” from Ukraine.

Faced with the “illegal act of annexation” of Ukraine’s territories, the Council had to give an “answer,” as US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield had asked for before the vote.

Russian representative Vasily Nebenzya, in turn, regarded this resolution as a “hostile action by the West” and a “provocation” and assured that the referendums “conformed to the norms and principles of international law.”

The text will now go to the UN General Assembly, where there is no veto power, in contrast to the Security Council, where the five permanent members — Russia, China, the US, France and the UK — have such a prerogative.

Discover five regions of Ukraine that have been annexed by Russia since 2014.

Russia has fully or partially annexed five regions of Ukraine after referendums condemned by Western countries, from the Donbass (northeast) to the Crimean peninsula (south).

Learn more about these occupied territories, which make up 19.4% of Ukraine’s territory, including 11.9% captured since the start of the Russian offensive on February 24, according to estimates by the American think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

– Lugansk and Donetsk –

These two Russian-speaking regions form the Donbass, Ukraine’s industrial basin.

Between 2014 and 2022, conflict in the region pitted separatists loyal to Moscow against Ukrainian forces. However, in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the separatists and justified the invasion of Ukraine as the need to save the Russian-speaking population from the alleged genocide.

Before the war, 2.1 million people lived in the Lugansk region. It borders Russia on three sides, and according to ISW, more than 99% of its territory has been under Moscow’s control since the offensive.

Of the four regions that have held referendums in recent days, Lugansk Oblast is the most controlled by Russia, but at the cost of heavy military casualties.

After a Ukrainian counter-offensive in early September that liberated much of neighboring Kharkiv, Ukrainian forces reinforced their positions in Luhansk.

The neighboring Donetsk region had 4.1 million inhabitants before the war, and its eponymous capital is the country’s third-largest city.

Prior to the Russian invasion, about half of the region was under separatist control. Currently, at least 58% of its territory is in the hands of Moscow and its allies, including the port city of Mariupol, which has been devastated by Russian siege and bombardment.

– Zaporozhye –

The region, which borders the Black Sea, is home to the country’s largest nuclear power plant on the Dnieper River and had a population of 1.63 million before the war.

According to ISW, 72% of its area is occupied by Moscow and its military administration. The largest city of the same name, Zaporozhye, is in Ukrainian hands, while the main port of Berdyansk is under Russian control.

The huge nuclear power plant in the area was taken over by the Russian army in March. Since then, both sides have accused each other of bombing the region with the risk of a nuclear accident. There have been constant requests for demilitarization, but so far to no avail.

– Kherson –

About 83% of this region, the westernmost region under Moscow’s control, and its eponymous capital were captured by Russia in the early days of the war.

This region, which is of great agricultural importance, is strategic for Moscow, as it borders the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Its capture, along with the coast of Zaporozhye and Donetsk, provides Russia with territorial continuity in all areas of Ukraine under its control, including Crimea, as well as with Russian territory.

Ukraine launched a counter-offensive there and has made some progress in recent months. In particular, he damaged bridges across the Dnieper River around the city of Kherson in order to cut off Russian supply lines.

In addition, attacks against Russian and pro-Russian officials have increased in the area, resulting in several deaths.

– Crimea –

Annexed by Russia in 2014, this tourist and wine-growing peninsula has poisoned relations between Kyiv and Moscow since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Crimea, populated mostly by Russian-speaking population, was “gifted” to Soviet Ukraine in 1954 by Nikita Khrushchev, the then leader of the USSR, of Ukrainian origin.

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Crimea became part of independent Ukraine.

According to Moscow, on March 16, 2014, in an alleged referendum condemned by the international community, 97% of residents voted “for” Russia’s annexation.

Two days later, the annexation was ratified by a treaty signed by Putin.

Of the two million inhabitants of Crimea, 59% are Russians; 24%, Ukrainians; and 12% – Tatars, a community of Muslim traditions that has developed since the 13th century.

Having taken the Crimea, Russia regained the great port of Sevastopol, where its navy had been stationed since the 18th century. In addition, the port offers you access to the Black Sea and therefore to the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

Since May 2018, the peninsula has been connected to the Russian mainland by a 19-kilometer bridge.

Crimea, used by Russia as a logistic base and remote from the fighting, has been hit by several explosions since August. Later, Ukraine acknowledged the beginning of these attacks.