4 Ukraine areas to join Russia: Putin says 'unipolar hegemony of West is collapsing'

Russian president Vladimir Putin on Thursday said "unipolar hegemony is collapsing relentlessly" and that it was "an objective reality the West doesn't want to accept".

"The process of forming a fairer world order is happening before our eyes," he said during an opening speech at a meeting with the heads of intelligence services of the countries that belong to the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Putin noted that the "collective West" is "putting pressure on countries that choose a sovereign path of development, on those who don't want to obey."

"We also know that the West is working on scenarios of the incitement of new conflicts on the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States," Putin said.

"It's enough to look what is currently happening between Russia and Ukraine, on the borders of some other countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the Kremlin said that the four regions of Ukraine that held votes on joining Russia will be incorporated into the country on Friday.

Putin is expected to attend a ceremony at the Kremlin at which they will be officially folded into Russia, officials said.

Ukraine and the West have denounced the votes as illegitimate.