Vladimir Putin is preparing to make a major speech one year on from the invasion of Ukraine, as Kyiv braces for a fresh assault from Moscow.
The Russian leader will give an address to the country's federal assembly on February 21 "on the current situation", according to a Kremlin spokesman.
The speech comes just days before the anniversary of the barbaric attack on Ukraine, and exactly one year on from his speech in which he recognised the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states.
Ukraine is preparing for a new attack to mark the year anniversary
STRINGER
Kyiv has already warned it is bracing for a fresh onslaught from its neighbour.
After successfully pushing back Putin's forces in recent months, Volodymyr Zelensky's government has said there is evidence Moscow is regrouping, ready for a second phase of war.
Suggesting Russian military personnel may be invited to listen to Putin's address on the air later this month, the Kremlin spokesman said: "A list of invitees will be formed, there is a traditional category of invitees.
"Of course, due to the specifics of the current moment, a new category of invitees will appear."
Russia is thought to have 1,800 tanks, 3,950 armoured vehicles, 400 fighter jets and 300 helicopters ready for a new surge of attack.
Ukraine says it is expecting a bombardment "much bigger than what took place in the first wave".
There are already approximately 300,000 troops already operating in Ukraine, with a further 200,000 men mobilised ready to join the offensive.
Yesterday Zelensky, who this week visited the UK and other European nations, said more work was needed to get the weapons his country needed.
"London, Paris, Brussels, everywhere I spoke these past few days about how to strengthen our soldiers.
"There are very important understandings and we received good signals," he said in his nightly video address.
"This concerns long-range missiles and tanks and the next level of our cooperation - fighter aircraft.
"But we have to continue to work on this."
Kyiv says it needs more weapons to defend itself
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Zelensky said more work was needed to get the weapons his country needed
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER
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