Putin to start process of annexing Ukrainian territories to Russia on Friday

President Vladimir Putin will preside over the start of the process to formally annex more Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine at a ceremony at the Kremlin on Friday, his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters today. Agreements will be signed on joining four occupied territories to the Russian Federation, Peskov said. Putin will deliver a speech and meet with the separatist leaders of the territories, which recently held Moscow-backed “referendums” on joining Russia, he added.