Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to delegates attending a joint meeting of the National Assembly at the Kremlin this afternoon after approving a draft treaty for Crimea to annex into Russia.

`The Republic of Crimea is officially considered part of Russia from the date of signing the treaty,` the Kremlin announced a few minutes after President Putin signed the treaty with Crimean leaders.

The Russian leader today officially ended Nikita Khrushchev’s Soviet-era decision to hand over administration of Crimea to the Soviet Republic of Ukraine.

Amid the singing and music of the Russian national anthem, Putin and Crimean leaders signed a treaty officially making the peninsula Russian territory.

`In the hearts and minds of everyone, Crimea remains an inseparable part of Russia. This commitment, based on truth and justice, has been affirmed, passed down from generation to generation

The Russian President described the Black Sea peninsula, the base of the Black Sea Fleet, as a sacred place for not only Russia but also three peoples in Crimea including Russia, Ukraine and Tatar.

`The most correct thing, which I know that the people of Crimea will support, is that Crimea will have three equal languages: Russian, Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar,` Reuters quoted Putin as saying.

Front row, from left: Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov, Crimean Parliament Chairman Vladimir Konstantinov, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Sevastopol Mayor Alexei Chaliy during the signing ceremony of the treaty annexing Crimea to Russia in Moscow today.

Mr. Putin condemned Western countries as `hypocritical` for recognizing Kosovo’s independence after separating from Serbia, but now denying the same rights to the people of Crimea.

`It is impossible to say the same thing today is white, tomorrow it is said to be black,` Mr. Putin said to resounding applause.

He also criticized Western partner countries for `crossing the line` in the Ukraine issue and behaving `irresponsibly`.

The Russian President thanked China for supporting Russia, even though Beijing abstained from voting on the United Nations resolution on Crimea that Moscow vetoed.

And he also sought to reassure Ukraine that Russia does not need any other part of its territory, amid Kiev’s fears that Russia might do the same in the Russian-speaking region of eastern Ukraine.

`Do not believe those who try to make you fear Russia and those who threaten that other regions will also follow Crimea. We do not need Ukraine’s territory. We only need this,` Putin affirmed.

He also criticized the interim leaders in Kiev, saying they had gone down a `fascist` path.

`The people behind the recent events, they prepared the coup. They planned to take power and were not afraid of anything. Terror, murder, massacre all happened.`

`Those are the people who are deciding the life of Ukraine today. The current so-called Ukrainian government has introduced a scandalous law on language policy, which directly violates the rights of minorities in the country

Mr. Putin yesterday signed a decree recognizing Crimea as an independent country, one day after the people of the peninsula voted to merge with Russia.