Ukraine-Russia crisis live news: Putin orders troops into separatist states; Zelenskiy says ‘we are not afraid’
Russian president has recognized Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions as independent states: UN security council calls emergency meeting for Monday night.
Putin orders troops into Donetsk and Luhansk on ‘peacekeeping duties’.
35m ago
19:59
Russia acquires the right to build military bases in eastern Ukraine.
Russia has acquired the right to build military bases in Ukraine’s two breakaway regions under treaties signed by President Vladimir Putin with their separatist leaders, Reuters is reporting.
Putin on Monday officially recognized the two breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. He later announced he was ordering troops to the region on a “peacekeeping mission”, defying western warnings that such a step would be illegal and kill peace negotiations.
Under the two identical friendship treaties, submitted by Putin for ratification by parliament, Russia has the right to build bases in the separatist regions and they, on paper, can do the same in Russia.
The parties commit to defend each other and sign separate agreements on military cooperation and on recognition of each other’s borders.
The 31-point treaties also say Russia and the breakaway statelets will work to integrate their economies.
Putin signed a cooperation agreement with the separatist republics of Luhansk and Donetsk at the Kremlin on Monday, recognising the independence of the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says she supports Ukraine’s call for an urgent meeting of the UN security council.
We must all stand with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brazen attempt to usurp Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
There can be no fence-sitters in this crisis.”
US Congressman Gerry Connolly says the ordering of Russian troops into Ukraine is not a “peacekeeping” operation.
Connolly told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer:
This is not a peacekeeping operation, and we need to stop enabling Putin with even the use of that word.
These are units of the Russian military who are using the pretext of the independence of Russian-occupied sovereign territory of Ukraine to further that occupation and to expand it.
Right now, Russia’s surrogates and Russian troops occupy about a third of Donetsk to Luhansk. What he proposes to do immediately is to extend that to the remaining two-thirds. That is an invasion by any sense of the imagination.
VIDEO: https://twitter.com/i/status/1495909211305295874
Here’s a quick recap of Zelenskiy’s televised address to the nation, held during the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Ukraine’s president accused Russia of wrecking peace talks and has ruled out making any territorial concessions, Reuters reports.
Zelenskiy added Ukraine was committed to peace and diplomacy after Russia formally recognised two Russian-backed separatist regions as independent on Monday evening.
The president said Ukraine was expecting “clear and effective” steps from its allies to act against Russia and called for an emergency summit of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.
Zelenskiy says he expects “clear support” from the west.
Ukraine’s president Zelenskiy says Ukraine is a supporter of a political and diplomatic settlement, Reuters reports.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says he spoke to the European Union’s Josep Borrell and was assured that the EU’s response would be decisive and united.
Kuleba added that Ukraine shared the assessment by western leaders that Russia’s decision to move troops into the Donbas was illegal.
We also have an update on the upcoming UN security council emergency session.
After some behind-the-scenes arguments, the UN security council is now going to be an open briefing, Guardian reporter Julian Borger tell us.
As Zelenskiy calls for peace, unusually large columns of military vehicles and hardware are moving through Donetsk, the largest city of the self-proclaimed republic in eastern Ukraine, Reuters is reporting.
A Reuters witness said they saw columns of military vehicles including tanks in the early hours of Tuesday on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of the breakaway east Ukraine regions.
It comes shortly after Putin ordered his military to enter the Russian-controlled areas of southeast Ukraine following a decision to recognise the territories as independent states.
Updated at 7.40pm EST
Zelenskiy calls for peace, describes Russia's actions as violation in televised address
Ukraine’s president Zelenskiy is currently hosting a televised address, calling for peace in the region while describing the actions of the Russian federation as a violation of Ukraine’s integrity and sovereignty.
Zelenskiy says he is waiting for clear and effective steps of support from our partners.
Updated at 7.29pm ES
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s move to recognise breakaway eastern Ukrainian territories as independent appears to be the opening salvo of a larger potential military operation targeting Ukraine, nearly a dozen US and western officials have told CNN.
“This is Potemkin politics,” a senior administration official told reporters on Monday, using a phrase meaning a move to hide a weakness. “President Putin is accelerating the very conflict that he’s created.”
The US expects Russian troops could move into the Donbas region of Ukraine as soon as Monday evening or Tuesday, after Putin recognised the two pro-Moscow territories as independent, a senior US official familiar with latest intelligence told the network.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/f...ve-updates
Russian president has recognized Ukraine’s Luhansk and Donetsk regions as independent states: UN security council calls emergency meeting for Monday night.
Putin orders troops into Donetsk and Luhansk on ‘peacekeeping duties’.
35m ago
19:59
Russia acquires the right to build military bases in eastern Ukraine.
Russia has acquired the right to build military bases in Ukraine’s two breakaway regions under treaties signed by President Vladimir Putin with their separatist leaders, Reuters is reporting.
Putin on Monday officially recognized the two breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. He later announced he was ordering troops to the region on a “peacekeeping mission”, defying western warnings that such a step would be illegal and kill peace negotiations.
Under the two identical friendship treaties, submitted by Putin for ratification by parliament, Russia has the right to build bases in the separatist regions and they, on paper, can do the same in Russia.
The parties commit to defend each other and sign separate agreements on military cooperation and on recognition of each other’s borders.
The 31-point treaties also say Russia and the breakaway statelets will work to integrate their economies.
Putin signed a cooperation agreement with the separatist republics of Luhansk and Donetsk at the Kremlin on Monday, recognising the independence of the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says she supports Ukraine’s call for an urgent meeting of the UN security council.
We must all stand with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s brazen attempt to usurp Ukraine’s sovereign territory.
There can be no fence-sitters in this crisis.”
US Congressman Gerry Connolly says the ordering of Russian troops into Ukraine is not a “peacekeeping” operation.
Connolly told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer:
This is not a peacekeeping operation, and we need to stop enabling Putin with even the use of that word.
These are units of the Russian military who are using the pretext of the independence of Russian-occupied sovereign territory of Ukraine to further that occupation and to expand it.
Right now, Russia’s surrogates and Russian troops occupy about a third of Donetsk to Luhansk. What he proposes to do immediately is to extend that to the remaining two-thirds. That is an invasion by any sense of the imagination.
VIDEO: https://twitter.com/i/status/1495909211305295874
Here’s a quick recap of Zelenskiy’s televised address to the nation, held during the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Ukraine’s president accused Russia of wrecking peace talks and has ruled out making any territorial concessions, Reuters reports.
Zelenskiy added Ukraine was committed to peace and diplomacy after Russia formally recognised two Russian-backed separatist regions as independent on Monday evening.
The president said Ukraine was expecting “clear and effective” steps from its allies to act against Russia and called for an emergency summit of the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.
Zelenskiy says he expects “clear support” from the west.
Ukraine’s president Zelenskiy says Ukraine is a supporter of a political and diplomatic settlement, Reuters reports.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says he spoke to the European Union’s Josep Borrell and was assured that the EU’s response would be decisive and united.
Kuleba added that Ukraine shared the assessment by western leaders that Russia’s decision to move troops into the Donbas was illegal.
We also have an update on the upcoming UN security council emergency session.
After some behind-the-scenes arguments, the UN security council is now going to be an open briefing, Guardian reporter Julian Borger tell us.
As Zelenskiy calls for peace, unusually large columns of military vehicles and hardware are moving through Donetsk, the largest city of the self-proclaimed republic in eastern Ukraine, Reuters is reporting.
A Reuters witness said they saw columns of military vehicles including tanks in the early hours of Tuesday on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of the breakaway east Ukraine regions.
It comes shortly after Putin ordered his military to enter the Russian-controlled areas of southeast Ukraine following a decision to recognise the territories as independent states.
Updated at 7.40pm EST
Zelenskiy calls for peace, describes Russia's actions as violation in televised address
Ukraine’s president Zelenskiy is currently hosting a televised address, calling for peace in the region while describing the actions of the Russian federation as a violation of Ukraine’s integrity and sovereignty.
Zelenskiy says he is waiting for clear and effective steps of support from our partners.
Updated at 7.29pm ES
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s move to recognise breakaway eastern Ukrainian territories as independent appears to be the opening salvo of a larger potential military operation targeting Ukraine, nearly a dozen US and western officials have told CNN.
“This is Potemkin politics,” a senior administration official told reporters on Monday, using a phrase meaning a move to hide a weakness. “President Putin is accelerating the very conflict that he’s created.”
The US expects Russian troops could move into the Donbas region of Ukraine as soon as Monday evening or Tuesday, after Putin recognised the two pro-Moscow territories as independent, a senior US official familiar with latest intelligence told the network.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/f...ve-updates
