- Putin's attire during his war declaration suggests his speech may have been pre-taped.
- Both a Monday and a Thursday video show the Russian president wearing the same attire.
- The videos show Putin seemingly wearing a black blazer with a white dress shirt and a maroon tie.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's attire during his Thursday war declaration suggests his speech may have been pre-taped.
Putin on Thursday said he decided to launch a "special military action" against Ukraine, in a video that aired early Thursday morning in Russia.
But during a televised address on Monday, Putin appeared to wear the same outfit as he denounced Ukraine's sovereignty, argued that Ukraine was a creation of the Soviet Union, and announced military intervention in eastern Ukraine.
Both videos were filmed with Putin apparently sitting in the same spot, at the same table, wearing the same outfit: A black blazer with a white dress shirt and a maroon tie.
The similar attire and location prompted speculation that the declaration of a military assault against Ukraine was taped earlier.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, delivered a searing response to Putin's action at an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council late on Wednesday night.
"About 48 minutes ago, your president declared war on Ukraine," Kyslytsya said to Russia's UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya.
Hours after Putin's declaration on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said that the country was being targeted by airstrikes.