She links the celebration of the annexation with the increasingly threatening rhetoric from Vladmir Putin, as well as the fact that the Ukrainian military seems to be pushing the Russian army back every day.

- He has to show some kind of victory precisely because things are going so badly.

He is crowded domestically and the propaganda is therefore at full speed, says Katarina Engberg.

Putin's rhetoric about nuclear weapons, alleged genocide of Russians and, in his eyes, the threat from the West is a way to raise the mood in Russia, she believes.

But the nuclear threats are also aimed at scaring the West.

- He wants to get the West to force Ukraine to the negotiating table, but at the same time it is a high stake, says Katarina Engberg.

Hear Katarina Engberg's analysis of the situation in the clip above.

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be enabled to play video

Read more about browser support

Russia will hold a "signing ceremony" before the annexation of new areas in Ukraine - hear former lieutenant colonel Jörgen Elfving about the development of events.

Photo: Alexander NEMENOV/AFP/TT