Vladimir Putin was blacked out online across his country today as he made a keynote bellicose speech on the war in Ukraine.
The web links of main state channels which are part of All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company [VGTRK ] were hit by an apparent major hacking as he spoke.
Instead of Putin's speech, a notice on screen announced ‘Mistake 500’ and that ‘Technical works’ were underway.
There was no immediate official confirmation of hacking - but it appeared a major problem had hit the state broadcaster.
Blacked out were not online versions of Rossiya-1, Rossiya 24 and Rossiya-Kultura.
Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s team claimed Putin said the websites of Russian TV channels were subjected to a DDoS attack during Putin's speech to the Federal Assembly.
Radio Mayak - also blocked - said the web channels were hit by hackers.
During the tirade, Putin warned of a World War III "global conflict" and even issued nuclear threats.
The Russian President has threatened to take the war cross-border and appeared to justify the use of nuclear weapons in the State of the Nation speech ahead of the one-year anniversary of his war in Ukraine.
In the very rambling speech, he took nearly half an hour before a specific threat was made.
Putin railed against the West in his long-delayed state-of-the-nation address - and said it was seeking to turn the war into a "global conflict".
He also frequently justified his invasion of his neighbour by accusing Western countries of threatening Russia: “It’s they who have started the war. And we are using force to end it."
In his first direct warning, he said: “The more long-range Western systems are being delivered to Ukraine, the farther we will be forced to move the threat from our borders.”
He also used language which indicated a defeat in Ukraine would justify the use of nuclear weapons.
However, people have noted he has made similar threats before. Andrew Roth, the Guardian's Moscow Correspondent, said: "This is an extremely conservative speech given the stress Putin has put on his country by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"No new ideas, no big plan, no end to war. He's betting on stability, but it looks like stagnation."
The crowd were seen laughing and taking selfies as they waited for their brute boss to begin his landmark speech.
Some of the dignitaries shown on Russian television in the audience for Putin’s speech include Dmitri Medvedev, the vice chairman of Putin’s Security Council, Igor Sechin, the powerful head of oil giant Rosneft, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church and Anton Siluanov who is the finance minister.
He began by saying he was addressing the nation at a time of “the most important historical events that are determining the future of our country and our people" and he insisted his decision to invade a year ago was justified.
He said: "Step by step, we will accomplish all our tasks carefully and consistently."
