12.28pm GMT
Summary - Vladimir Putin speech
Here is a summary of what the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, said during his address to parliament, lasting just under an hour.
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Putin signed draft legislation on bringing the Crimea region into Russia following a defiant address to the federal assembly.Crimea’s prime minister and parliament speaker also signed the document.
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During the televised address, he said that in the hearts and minds of Russian people, “Crimea has always been and remains an inseparable part of Russia”. He said its fate had always been an issue of “vital importance” to Russia.
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Putin dismissed the idea that Russia would try to seize other regions in Ukraine, as an attempt to scare people. “We do not want a partition of Ukraine, we do not need this,” he said.
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He said that the rights of all minorities would be protected in Crimea, announcing that all all three main nationalities there - Ukrainians, ethnic Russians and Tatars - would have equal language rights. Tatars, who were persecuted and deported under Stalin have been particularly fearful of their fate under Russia.
• He accused the west of having “crossed the line” over Ukraine, and of trying to scare Russia with sanctions. Putin said Russia would never seek to start a confrontation with the west but would defend its own interests.
• Referring to intervention around the world, including in the Middle East, Putin said western partners, headed by the US ,were guided by the “rule of the gun”. Dismissing accusations of aggression made against Russia, he said not a single shot had been fired in Crimea.
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The Russian president accused nationalists, neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites of being behind the “coup” in Ukraine.He said usurpers and radicals were in government positions in Kiev.
12.10pm GMT
To the Russian national anthem, Putin and Crimean leaders signed a treaty on making Crimea part of Russia.
11.51am GMT
The Russian president finishes by asking parliament to pass legislation to recognise and then join Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia.
I have no doubt of your support.
He is given a standing ovation as he walks off.
Updated at 12.04pm GMT
11.50am GMT
We are not against Nato, says Putin but we are against them being on our border.
He says they are “good guys but let them come to see us rather than us visit them”.
We want friendship with Ukraine, we want it to be a strong state. They are one of our leading partners ....Along with other countries, we are prepared to facilitate this process.
Addressing the people of Sevastopol, Putin says they decided the fate of Crimea and that people applaud their bravery and dignity.
We will never aim a confrontation with our partners, be it in the east or in the west.
The leadership of Sevastopol were guided by the genuine interests of the people in drawing up the referendum, not by political interests, says Putin. They were posed the question directly and the referendum was “open and honest”.
People clearly expressed their will. They want to be with Russia.
He reels out a number of statistics. Most polls show 95% of Russians believe they should protect the interests of Russian people in Ukraine, 84% say they should do this even if it will harm relations with other countries, 83% believe Crimea is already part of Russia and 94% are for Crimea joining Russia - “a very important statistic”. An absolute majority of citizens in Crimea and the Russian federation support “reunification” says the Russian president - cue thunderous applause.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the federal assembly. Photograph: Maxim Shematov/Reuters
Updated at 11.51am GMT
11.40am GMT
Putin says:
We are grateful to all those who understood our actions in Crimea. We are grateful to the people of China.
The Russian president says he wants to address the people in the US. Referring to the US declaration of independence he asks is the Crimean people’s quest for freedom not similar.
He also refers to German reunification and says he hopes the Germans will support Russia in this instance as Russia supported reunification.
We have already respected the territorial sovereignty of Ukraine ...don’t trust those who frighten you about Russia, who say that Russia will move into other regions [of Ukraine].
Crimea will never be a region of Banderas, it will be a home for all ethnic groups, the president continues.
It is a “strategic authority that should be under strong and stable sovereignty”, which could only be Russian today.
Don't believe those who tell you that other regions will follow after Crimea. We don't need the division of Ukraine.
— Shaun Walker (@shaunwalker7)
March 18, 2014
Putin to Ukrainians: We always respected territorial integrity of Ukraine, unlike others, who split Ukraine. They're to blame for divisions.
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM)
March 18, 201
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