Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the paperwork to annex 4 Ukrainian provinces – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – which formalises Russia’s illegal seizure. The Kremlin has declined to confirm the borders of the annexed territories, saying there are certain parts “still to be returned” to Russia. On the battlefield, the invaders continue to face significant setbacks in Luhansk in the east and Kherson in the south. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says his troops are making “fast and powerful progress”, and Putin gave a rare acknowledgement of the situation, insisting Russia would “stabilise” the situation. Meanwhile, insiders say US intelligence points to Ukraine’s involvement in the August car bomb attack near Moscow that killed Darya Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist. Kyiv denies it, but US officials fear it could see Russia retaliate.