President Putin reclaims Crimea as part of Russia

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday reclaimed Crimea as a part of Russia , reversing what he termed a historic injustice inflicted by the Soviet Union 60 years ago. The Russian premier brushed aside international condemnation that could leave Russia isolated for years to come.

In an emotional address that bristled with resentment and bitterness from perceived slights inflicted by the West, Putin made it clear that Russia's diminishing patience for post-Cold War accommodation had finally come to an end.

Speaking to the country's political elite in the Grand Kremlin Palace, he said he had no intention to divide Ukraine any further, but he vowed to protect Russia's interests there from what he described as western actions that had left Russia feeling cornered.

Meanwhile, president Obama announced sanctions aimed directly at the inner circle of president Putin.

''Crimea has always been an integral part of Russia in the hearts and minds of people,''  Putin declared in his address. Putin who spoke for 47 minutes, was cheered repeatedly and chants of ''Russia, Russia'' rent the air in St George's Hall. The audience included hundreds of members of parliament and other dignataries.

Putin called up prime minister Manmohan Singh yesterday and thanked him for India's support to Russia on Crimea. During the conversation, the prime minister stressed territorial integrity and expressed hope of a diplomatic solution to the issue.

In his address, Putin referred to Ukraine as a state born out of an illegal secession from the Soviet Union and also argued that today's Ukraine included "regions of Russia's historic south" and was created on a whim by the Bolsheviks.

The statement was meant as a clear warning to both the new Ukrainian government in Kiev and to the west to respect Russia's interests.

Responding to the remarks, Ukraine's new government called Putin a threat to the whole world and US vice-president Joe Biden warned that the US and Europe would impose further sanctions against Moscow.