Russia has withdrawn from the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States, in a speech just days out from the anniversary of the Ukraine invasion.

President Vladimir Putin made the announcement in his first state-of-the-nation address since the war with Ukraine began.

Dr Sonia Mycak, a Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, said most of what he said in the two-hour long speech was the same.

But he did flag the suspension of Russia’s participation in the New Start nuclear arms treaty,

“It was more of what we have seen all the way along, with the propaganda and misinformation,” she said.

“Again he said that Russia was the victim, again he said the Ukrainian government is shelling its own people, blowing up its own country and the Russians were simply assisting, liberating these poor Ukrainians from their own evil Ukrainian government.”

Press PLAY below to hear her explain the current state of play

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