Amid the escalating tensions between the West and Russia, the latter on Monday recognized two separatist regions of Ukraine as the Independent States. This comes a day after US intelligence warned of an imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On Monday Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognizing Ukraine’s eastern regions Donetsk and Lugansk as independent States. These areas of Ukraine bordering Russia have been held by pro-Russian rebels over the last few years.
Subsequently, the Russian President also ordered Russian troops to enter and secure the two troubled regions on a “peacekeeping mission”.
A few hours later, large columns of Russian tanks and military vehicles were seen moving through the disputed Ukrainian territories on Tuesday.
In response, the Western nations including the US, UK, and EU announced sanctions prohibiting new investment, trade, and financing in the two separatist regions of Ukraine recognized by Russia.
They also warned of “significant” sanctions against Russia for breaching international law and attacking Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Russia on the other hand justified its extreme move under the pretext of preventing a genocide of Russian citizens in the Ukrainian territories. It has already facilitated the evacuation of over 60,000 people from rebel-held areas to Russia.
In an emotional address, Russian President Putin even questioned Ukraine’s right to sovereignty saying that “modern Ukraine was entirely and completely created by Russia”.
Putin accused Ukraine of “trying to organize a blitzkrieg” and genocide of Russians in east Ukraine and demanded “an immediate end to military operations”.
Otherwise, he threatened that “all responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be fully on the conscience of the regime in power in Ukraine”.
Accusing Western Nations and Nato of backbiting and betrayal, Putin said the West mocked Russia’s security concerns for years by “moving NATO eastwards and putting military infrastructure closer to Russia’s borders”.
“There is only one aim: to stop Russia from developing. And they will do it, as they did before, even without any formal pretext at all” the longtime Russian leader asserted.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned Russia for wrecking peace efforts and said that Ukraine will not bow down to Russian threats in the early hours of Tuesday.
“We are on our own land, we are not afraid of anything and anybody, we owe nothing to no one, and we will give nothing to no one”, said Zelenskiy.