Russia Ukraine crisis news: Russia on Monday moved its troops to eastern Ukraine and signed treaties with the two rebel regions — Donetsk and Luhansk that it recognised as independent earlier. The treaties granted Russia rights to set up military installations in the two regions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his troops to march into eastern Ukraine, a move that could prove warnings of an invasion by the West. Russia’s move came soon after it recognised Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
Here are the top developments around the Russia-Ukraine crisis:
1. After days of escalation of tensions along the Russia-Ukraine border, with both sides conducting military drills, Russia on Monday recognised two breakaway states in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine as Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic.
2. Immediately after recognising the two regions, Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to march into eastern Ukraine. Russia termed the move a necessity to “keep the peace”.
3. Russia moved swiftly to sign two identical friendship treaties that granted it the right to build bases in the separatist regions and they, on paper, can do the same in Russia.
4. Russia’s actions were slammed by the West, with the US imposing trade and investment sanctions on the two regions and the UK threatening to impose additional sanctions on Russia. The United States, however, will continue to pursue diplomacy with Russia until a further invasion into Ukraine, a White House official said.
5. The United Nations convened an emergency meeting of its Security Council where India voiced its concerns over the safety of its citizens in Ukraine. India called for the cessation of hostilities and the promotion of peaceful dialogues to end the crisis.
6. Ukraine and Russia locked horns at the UNSC as each blamed the other for the crisis. While Ukraine called Russia’s actions “a virus spread by Kremlin”, Russia said that the rights of the people in Donbas must be protected. Russia also said that Ukraine had been taking advantage of Moscow and subjected it to economic “blackmail”.
7. The United States is coordinating with its allies and will announce new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday after Moscow recognised two breakaway regions in Ukraine as independent entities and sent “peacekeeping” forces there, US officials have said.
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8. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his nation is not afraid of anything or anyone. “We are on our own land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone,” he said after Russia ordered its troops into eastern Ukraine.
9. Ukraine on February 20 reported that two of its soldiers were killed in separatist shelling.
10. Over 2,000 ceasefire violations have been recorded along the Russia-Ukraine border in the last few days.
