Letter from Washington DC : Zitto e Mosca: il discorso di Putin silenziato su molti canali russi

Henry Holloway Published (Sun US)

VLADIMIR Putin's speech suffered a mass blackout as Russian state TV channels were reportedly hit with a huge hack attack.

The deluded dictator, 70, delivered his state-of-the-nation address to Russia just days before the first anniversary of his war in Ukraine.

10Vladimir Putin's state-run TV is believed to have been hacked during his speech

10Broadcasters were forced to carry 'Mistake 500' title cards

10The problem was reported across all of Russia's 13 time zones

10Vladimir Putin has addressed Russia amid his failing war in UkraineCredit: AP

But the web links of main state channels which are part of All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company [VGTRK ] were taken down as he spoke.

Instead of Putin's speech, a notice on screen announced "Mistake 500" and that "technical works" were underway.

Blacked out were not online versions of Rossiya-1, Rossiya 24 and Rossiya-Kultura.

Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s team claimed Putin said the websites of Russian TV channels were subjected to a DDoS attack during Putin's speech to the Federal Assembly.

Radio Mayak - also blocked - said the web channels were hit by hackers.

There was no immediate official confirmation of hacking by the state broadcasters themselves.

Putin's highly anticipated address was punctuated with his usual rambling rhetoric - blaming anyone by himself for the war in Ukraine.

And he made a veiled nuclear threat to West as he warned Russia's very existence is now in danger.

"The goal of the West is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, to end us once and for all," raged Putin.

"We will react accordingly, because we are talking about the existence of our country."

Moscow's nuclear doctrine clearly states their forces can use nuclear weapons when the country's "very existence" is at risk.

Putin was speaking as tonight Joe Biden will give a speech rallying support for Ukraine in Poland.

The highly symbolic duelling speeches come at a time of unprecedented tensions.

Vlad's gamble to invade Ukraine has put the world on the sharpest knife edge since the Cold War.

Flanked by four Russian tricolour flags either side, Putin went on: "[The West] intend to translate the local conflict into a global confrontation, we understand it this way and will react accordingly."

His speech came as fears loom Russian is about launch a major new offensive in bid to break the bloody deadlock with Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Biden - fresh off his visit to Kyiv - will give his speech tonight at the Royal Castle Poland.

The last time Biden spoke there - he said: "For God’s sake, [Putin] cannot remain in power."

Pinballing between topics, Vlad doubled down on his bloody war - which has seen an estimated nearly 150,000 of his soldiers die.

It comes as:Joe Biden made a surprise vist to Kyiv to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky
The world is counting down to the anniversary of the war on February 24
Russia is feared to be massing 500,000 troops for a new assault on Ukraine
Zelensky warned China arming Russia could trigger World War 3
Ukraine says Russia has placed its nuclear forces on combat alert
It is estimated more than 144,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine
Ukrainian defense chief Oleksiy Danilov vowed the war would end with tanks on Red Square
Leaked documents reveal Putin's own spies believe he is a 'bullying narcissistic liar'
The Sun Online visited Europe's border with Russia - a place where spies are everywhere

A top US official described Putin's accusations as "absurd", while the Ukranians said the speech showed Putin had lost touch with reality.

"Nobody is attacking Russia. There's a kind of absurdity in the notion that Russia was under some form of military threat from Ukraine or anyone else," said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Mykhailo Podolyak, a top aide to the Ukrainian president, said: "He is in a completely different reality, where there is no opportunity to conduct a dialogue about justice and international law."

Ageing autocrat Putin also moaned about Nazis, traitors, the Anglican Church, and even claiming paedophilia is "the norm" in the West.

He relied on the same tired old rhetoric - and went on meandering tangents talking about history and complaining about what he sees as decadence in the West.

"We are defending people's lives, but the West's goals are limitless power," moaned Putin.

Putin again tried to blame "Neo-Nazis" in Ukraine for the war - and accused the West of undermining Russia.

He complained the West is "spitting at the entire world" as he attempted to justify the violence in Ukraine.

Vlad went on: "We did everything possible, genuinely everything possible, in order to solve this problem (in Ukraine) by peaceful means.

"We were patient, we were negotiating a peaceful way out of this difficult conflict, but a completely different scenario was being prepared behind our backs."

Russia is estimated to have lost almost 150,000 soldiers in Ukraine as they are smashed against a heroic Ukrainian resistance led by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Putin's future is now seen as tied to his success or failure.

Moscow still controls one fifth of Ukraine, but has seen major battlefield defeats and hopes of a quick victory dashed.

Vlad is desperate to win to save himself - and sees the war as part of a wider conflict with the West.

Britain, the US, and other Western nations are all supporting Ukraine with weapons and supplies.

Vlad's speech comes just one day after US President Joe Biden made an unprecedented secret visit to Kyiv.

Biden doubled down his support for Ukraine in one of the biggest shows of support yet by Washington.

Putin meanwhile is believed to be attempting to get China to side with him and give him weapons.

It is a move that could reset the battlelines between East and West.

And it is one Ukrainian leader Zelensky warned could trigger World War 3.

"China is deeply worried about the continuous escalation of the conflict and possibility of the situation spiralling out of control," said Chinese minister Qin Gang.

It is feared Russia could be preparing a large new offensive - with reports of up to 500,000 soldiers gathering for an attack on Ukraine.

Ukrainian intelligence yesterday also reported that Vlad has put his nuclear forces on high combat readiness.

It has long been suggested Vlad could use the threat of nukes to force capitulation from Ukraine - or actually detonate one of the weapons to break the deadlock.

Putin walks to the lectern to deliver his speechCredit: Reuters

Vlad spoke to a room full of his croniesCredit: AFP

10Putin made a veiled threat and repeatedly blamed the WestCredit: AFP

Vlad using a nuke during the war would be the first time such a weapon has been used in combat since the US dropped two bombs on Japan in 1945.

The war on the ground has remained relatively stagnant over the winter - with bloody, grinding trench warfare across the eastern flank.

Vuhledar and Bakhmut have devolved into the bloodiest battles of the war so far - with Zelensky describing them as a "living wall" against Russia.

Ukraine continues to call for more Western aid - in particular fighter jets - to finally defeat Russia.

Russia expected to be welcomed as conquering liberators when they staged their invasion nearly one year ago.

But instead of flags and cheering crowns, they were met with gunfire and brave resistance.

Putin is facing internal political pressure with the anniversary now just days away - and very little to show for the vast expenditure of blood and treasure.

It is believed that if Putin continues to fail in the war, his regime could collapse - and it could have dire consequences for Russia.

Biden's unannounced visit to Ukraine is seen as a rallying call to solidify support in the West.

The US President has seen some voices in Washington beginning to waver as he pledged a further £400million of backing for Kyiv.

However, he vowed Washington will stand with Kyiv for "as long as it takes."

Biden said: "When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided.

"He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong."

"The cost that Ukraine has had to pay is extraordinarily high. Sacrifices have been far too great ... We know that there will be difficult days and weeks and years ahead."

And the Ukrainian leader hailed Biden's visit, saying it shows Russia has "no chance" to win.

"This is an unequivocal signal that Russian attempts to win will have no chance," said Zelensky.

"Together we will protect our cities, our people from the terror of Russia."

Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security Council, believes Putin could unleash the new offensive on either February 23 or 24.

But he insisted the country is "ready" - vowing the war will end with Ukrainian tanks on Red Square.

"We will cope with this day as well. Yes, it will be difficult, but we will all get through", he said.

In a sit-down interview with The Sun in Kyiv, Danilov also described the Russian president as "Hitler's twin."

Danilov said: “Our tanks will be on Red Square and that will be justice.

“We didn’t start this war. We didn’t call them here.

“They invaded our territory, killed our women, our children, the elderly, and civilians.

“If we don’t give them a proper answer it is only a matter of time before they invade another country.”

Officially Kyiv’s war aims are to expel all Russian forces from Ukrainian soil — as defined by its 1991 borders.

Danilov said Russia was destined to self-destruct.

He said: “Putin will go down in history as the man who destroyed Russia.

“My greatest concern for the next 12 months is that the West does not understand that Russia will be fragmented.

“It is inevitable. It is like a volcano erupting.

“The process has already started and it cannot be stopped.”