Putin warns West against sending troops to Ukraine in major speech

1. Vladimir Putin has given his annual state of the nation address, two weeks before Russia's 2024 presidential election
2. Putin warned that any deployment of Western troops in Ukraine would have "tragic" consequences
3. He claimed Western rhetoric threatened a "conflict with the use of nuclear arms and consequently the destruction of civilisation"
4. The comments appear to respond to French President Macron, who earlier this week did not rule out sending Western soldiers to Ukraine
5. Putin also said the Russian military had the "initiative" in the two-year, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and was advancing in a number of areas
6. Ukrainian troops recently withdrew from the eastern town of Avdiivka - but overall, the frontlines have been largely unchanged for months

Two years on, where do things stand in the Ukraine war?

Reuters

As we’ve been reporting, Vladimir Putin is expected to devote at least some of his speech today to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Last Saturday marked two years since Russian tanks first rolled over the border into Ukraine, described by Putin as a “special military operation”.

Moscow has made apparent breakthroughs in recent weeks - here’s a quick round-up of the latest developments:

• Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the eastern town of Avdiivka in Russia's biggest victory since the fall of Bakhmut in May last year
• Russia has also been launching attacks around villages in the southern Zaporizhzhia region where Ukraine made some gains during its 2023 counter-offensive
• Ukraine has continued its attacks on the Russian fleet in the Black Sea - most recently claiming to have sunk the amphibious ship, the Caesar Kunikov, off the coast of Russian-occupied Crimea

In terms of support, Western aid for Ukraine is slowing, and there are reports that both Ukraine and Russia are struggling to supply their front lines with ammunition.

Kyiv is heavily dependant on support from the US, but military aid packages have become a key point of contention between the Democrats and the Republicans.

.

Why is Putin speaking - and what will he say?

Sputnik

Russia’s presidential address is a big day on the country’s national calendar - not least because it is constitutionally mandated.

Article 84 of the 1993 Russian Constitution says the president shall "address the Federal Assembly with annual messages on the situation in the country, on the guidelines of the internal and foreign policy of the State".

Today we’ll hear Vladimir Putin address both houses of the Russian parliament - the State Duma and the Federation Council.

According to Russian media, Putin will speak about the war in Ukraine, additional measures to stabilise the economy and new social policies to support families.

His address last year predominantly focused on Ukraine - we’re anticipating a more domestic tone this year due to the upcoming presidential election.

A big day in Moscow

Reuters

At 09:00 GMT, we're due to hear from Vladimir Putin, who will give his annual state of the nation address to Russian officials and the wider population.

The next presidential election is just two weeks away, and Putin is largely expected to formalise another six-year term.

But before then, there’s the funeral of opposition leader Alexei Navalny - which is due to take place in Moscow tomorrow.

Navalny’s wife Yulia Navalnaya has blamed Putin for her husband’s death. Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have done the same.

You can watch Putin's speech live on this page with an English translation - it's not known how long it will last, but it could be around two hours.

We'll have the top lines, plus analysis from our teams in Moscow and London.