The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn Russia's attempts to annex four regions of Ukraine.

The resolution was supported by 143 countries, while 35 states - including China and India - abstained.

As well as Russia, four countries rejected the vote, namely Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Nicaragua.

Although symbolic, it was the highest number of votes against Russia since the invasion.

Last week, in a grand ceremony in the Kremlin, President Vladimir Putin signed documents to make the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson part of Russia.

The countries which voted with Russia all have a longstanding stance of criticising Western governments.

There have been calls for Russia to be stripped of its veto power after the invasion of Ukraine.