Putin set to make 'important statement' about Ukraine war tomorrow

Vladimir Putin is set to make an 'important statement' about his invasion, according to a Moscow-appointed official in a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine.

Vladimir Rogov, a member of the Administration Council of the Zaporizhzhia region, announced the Russian president would be delivering the speech on Wednesday.

The address will be part of events marking the 80th anniversary of when Russians broke the siege of Leningrad by the forces of Nazi Germany, when Soviet forces managed to open a narrow land corridor to the city on 18 January 1943.

As chairman of the We Are Together with Russia, Rogov advocates for the occupied regions of Ukraine to be fully absorbed into the Russian federation.

He made the announcement on his Telegram channel, and it was later reported by Russian media. However, no official statement from the Kremlin has yet been made.

Public appearances by Putin have often been teased by Russian officials, before being cancelled at the last minute. The practice makes Putin's movements difficult to track, and could be a tactic for that exact purpose.

It was claimed today the Russian despot has become 'withdrawn, silent and deeply preoccupied' as he undergoes new medical treatment. 

The 80th anniversary celebrated will mark when Soviet forces managed to open a narrow land corridor to Leningrad - now called St. Petersburg - during the Second World War on 18 January 1943.

Nazi forces besieged the city from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. But it was January 18, 1943 that marked a turning point in the Soviet efforts to break the seige.

It is seen as a key moment in Moscow's victory over the Nazis in eastern Europe in the Second World War. To this day, Russia often shamelessly invokes its battle against the Nazis as a means to justify its war in Ukraine.

Putin and his Kremlin allies have often claimed they are working to 'deniazify' Ukraine, despite its claims of Kyiv being led by a Nazi government being baseless.

Putin had been expected in the north-western city this week, with reports suggesting he was planning to appear at the Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad for a flower laying ceremony.

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