Today, President Putin signed four treaties with the Russian-backed government administrators in the Ukrainian oblasts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzia, and Kherson. The above picture shows (left to right): Volodymyr Saldo (Kherson Administrator), Anton Koltsov (Zaporizhzia), Leonid Pasechnik (Luhansk), and Denys Pushilin (Donetsk), who signed the four treaties.

In the preceding speech, Putin made several pointed attacks against the West, the U.S., and the E.U. Following an initial moment of silence for those killed in the Donbass, Putin told the audience: “the last Soviet leaders destroyed our great country, put the people before a fact, not understanding the consequences, the decision in 1991 was not based on the opinion of the people – they were not asked and all ties were severed on the live.” He then followed with Russia does not wish to bring the Soviet Union back but Russias has the right to self determination from the UN Charter.

He then said that Russia will defend “with any means” the territory of Russia, including those territories in which the people voted to join. He called of Ukraine to pursue negotiations but not of the territories that voted to become Russia. He said that the Zelensky government is acting as slaves to Western colonizing elites that want to see Russia on its knees.

Those comments of “any means” were then followed with a pointed attack on the U.S. saying that it was the only country in the world that has used nuclear weapons on the battlefield. These comments lay the theoretical ground work for Putin to employ tactical nuclear weapons against formations of Ukrainian troops which are currently counterattacking in Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk with the most troubling scenario for Russian being the encirclement of Lyman, Donetsk.

The Ukrainian Security Service said only yesterday that the threat of Russian nuclear strikes in Ukraine are at an all time high, as Putin has mobilized more than 300,000 reservists and conscripts to fight his failing war. The use of even a single tactical nuclear weapon would undoubtedly pause fighting across all fronts, while not likely drawing a nuclear retaliation from the West.

However, international denouncement of the signing has been pouring in from Moldova, Georgia, European Council, Poland, Czech Republic, Netherlands, and many others.