Vladimir Putin news LATEST: Macron slams tyrant as world leaders refuse to recognise Russia’s ‘SHAM referendums’

THE KREMLIN leader’s rare live has been delayed, clashing with the UN’s General Assembly meeting as world leaders reject his plans for referendums. The Russian military will enforce referendums in occupied Ukrainian areas, making Ukrainian residents choose to join or reject the Kremlin in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia; votes could be held as soon as Friday. Kyiv and NATO chief Jens Stolenburg rejects the “sham” referendums, stating it is meaningless, vowing to “eliminate” Putin’s threats, as former impartial party Turkey’s President Erdogan urged Russia to hand back occupied land to Ukraine in an interview with PBS. French President Macron slammed the referendums, accusing Russia of “imitating democracy” with a “tragic” referendum that will not be internationally recognised, sentiments which are echoed by the Latvian and Polish government. Russian President Vladimir Putin is yet to address Russia in a very rare live public update for the first time since his invasion of Ukraine. Read our Ukraine-Russia live blog below for the latest udpates…