2023 Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly

On 21 February 2023, almost a year after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian president Vladimir Putin delivered an address to the Federal Assembly, at Gostiny Dvor in Moscow, Russia.[3][5] This was the first Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly since the start of the invasion; Putin did not deliver such an address in 2022.[6][7][lower-alpha 1]

Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly
Vladimir Putin delivering the speech at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor
Native name Послание президента Федеральному собранию
Date21 February 2023 (2023-02-21)
Time12:05 MSK (09:05 UTC)[1]
Duration105 minutes[2][1]
VenueGostiny Dvor
LocationMoscow, Russia
Coordinates55.7540°N 37.6255°E / 55.7540; 37.6255
TypePresidential Address to the Federal Assembly
ParticipantsVladimir Putin
External media
Images
image icon Television display in Luhansk[3]
image icon Screen on Volgograd business center[3]
image icon Digital billboard in Sevastopol[3]
image icon Display on Leninsky Prospekt, Moscow[3]
Video
video icon The speech, in its entirety (in Russian)[4]

During the address, Putin asserted that the West had started the war, and that Russia had been using force to end it.[9][10][11][12] He stated that the Ukrainian people were hostages of the Ukrainian government.[6][10][13][12] Putin also said that the West had planned to turn a local conflict into a global one, and that the conflict represented an existential threat to Russia.[9][10][12] He added that it was impossible to defeat Russia, and vowed to continue fighting in Ukraine.[6][10][12] He also praised the people of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia for the choice they made during the previous year's annexation referendums.[10][12] Near the end of his speech, Putin announced that Russia would be suspending its participation in the nuclear disarmament treaty New START.[14][1][12]

Putin's address was simultaneously broadcast on television and in schools and government buildings, as well as displayed on large screens in public places in Russia and the occupied territories of Ukraine.[3] It was delivered a day after U.S. president Joe Biden had made a surprise visit to Kyiv, his first to Ukraine since the start of the invasion.[15][16][17][lower-alpha 2]

On the same day as but after Putin's address, CNN reported that U.S. officials had stated that a test of the Sarmat, a Russian intercontinental ballistic missile, appeared to have failed shortly before the address.[18][19][lower-alpha 3] Prior to the test, Russia had informed the U.S. of the intended missile launch, as required by New START.[20][18][lower-alpha 4] U.S. officials stated that such a test was considered routine, and not an escalation of the conflict.[20][18][24] Putin did not mention the missile test during his speech.[25][18][21]

Biden also delivered a speech in Warsaw, Poland, hours after Putin had made his presidential address.[26][11][15] The following day, Putin made a brief appearance at a rally at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow commemorating Defender of the Fatherland Day.[27][28]

See also

Notes
  1. The Russian constitution requires the president to address the Federal Assembly annually.[7] TASS reported that Putin stated that there was no address in 2022 "because the situation was unfolding very quickly and it was difficult 'to fix the results at a specific point, as well as specific plans for the near future.'"[8]
  2. Russian officials were informed about the trip hours before it began.[17]
  3. It was initially reported that the missile test had apparently occurred while Biden was in Ukraine, but a U.S. official later stated that the test had occurred on 18 February 2023, three days before Putin's speech.[20][18]
  4. Russia had notified the U.S. of the missile test via deconfliction lines.[19][21][22] The U.S. also used deconfliction lines to notify Russia of Biden's visit to Kyiv.[18][23][17]

References
  1. "Послание Владимира Путина Федеральному собранию". Коммерсантъ (in Russian). 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  2. "Putin thought enemies would 'roll over' but he was wrong, says Joe Biden in major speech in Poland – as it happened". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. Times, The Moscow. "In Photos: How Putin's Address Really Was One to the Entire Nation - The Moscow Times". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. "Послание Президента Федеральному Собранию". Президент России. 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. "Ukraine: Why do world leaders take the night train to Kyiv? – DW – 06/16/2022". dw.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. "Putin blames war on West, suspends nuclear disarmament pact – DW – 02/21/2023". dw.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. "Putin planning Federal Assembly address for February 21, followed by 'large-scale concert-rally' at Luzhniki Stadium on February 22 — Meduza". Meduza. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. "Putin to deliver State of the Nation Address to Federal Assembly on Feb 21 — Kremlin". TASS. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  9. "Putin promotes Russian escalation in annual speech". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  10. "Putin thought enemies would 'roll over' but he was wrong, says Joe Biden in major speech in Poland – as it happened". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. "Putin says Russia will stop participating in its last nuclear treaty with the U.S." NPR. 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. "Presidential Address to Federal Assembly". President of Russia (in Russian). 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  13. Sajjad, Shyema. "Ukraine updates: West not plotting to attack Russia, Biden says | Russia-Ukraine war News | Al Jazeera". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. "Joe Biden says Russian forces in disarray after year of war in Ukraine". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. "'Our Support Will Not Waver,' Biden Says After Putin Signals Sharper Break". nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. Liptak, Kevin. "Biden makes surprise visit to Ukraine for first time since full-scale war began | CNN Politics". CNN. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  17. "How Biden's surprise trip to Kyiv was kept secret - but not from Russia". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. Liebermann, Oren; Bertrand, Natasha. "US believes Russia had failed intercontinental ballistic missile test around when Biden was in Ukraine | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  19. Altman, Howard. "Ukraine Situation Report: Russian ICBM Test Failed During Biden's Visit To Kyiv". The Drive. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  20. "Russian test launch of "Satan II" missile failed, U.S. says, as Putin suspends role in nuclear treaty". cbsnews.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  21. "Putin 'launched intercontinental ballistic missile' during Biden visit to Ukraine". The Independent. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  22. Times, The Moscow. "Russia Tested Nuclear Capable Missile During Biden's Ukraine Trip – CNN - The Moscow Times". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  23. "U.S. alerted Russia to Biden's Ukraine visit for "deconfliction purposes," White House says". cbsnews.com. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  24. "Russia 'carried out test on Satan II ballistic missile' while Joe Biden was in Ukraine - but it failed". LBC. 22 February 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  25. "Putin's hope for Sarmat missile launch from Plesetsk failed". The Independent Barents Observer. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  26. "Putin thought enemies would 'roll over' but he was wrong, says Joe Biden in major speech in Poland – as it happened". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  27. "Russia fighting for its 'historical lands': Putin". France 24. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  28. Times, The Moscow. "Putin Says Russia Fighting for 'Historical Lands' at Pro-War Rally - The Moscow Times". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 26 February 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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