Putin recognises breakaway regions in Ukraine, US imposes sanctions: Here’s all that happened

An emergency UN Security Council meeting also deliberated on the developments.

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Here’s all you need to know:

🔴 Donbass broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. Until now, they were unrecognised, but Putin on Monday recognised the two and signed “friendship and mutual assistance” treaties.

Pro-Russian activists react in a street as fireworks explode in the sky, after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognising two Russian-backed breakaway regions. (Reuters)

🔴 In his speech, Putin said Ukraine would be responsible for continued “bloodshed” if it didn’t “cease military action.” His remark came in the background of Russia’s allegations that Ukraine is preparing an offensive against the separatist territories — a charge denied by Kyiv.

🔴 The Russian President has also ordered the deployment of troops to “keep the peace” in the two breakaway regions. The action was slammed by US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, as “nonsense”. “President Putin has torn the Minsk Agreement to shreds. We have been clear that we do not believe he will stop at that,” she was quoted as saying by Reuters.

🔴 Responding to the development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a statement on Tuesday accused Russia of wrecking peace efforts and violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of his country. Zelenskiy has said that while Ukraine is committed to a “peaceful and diplomatic path”, it won’t give up its land.

A Ukrainian serviceman walks along a street near part of a 120mm mortar shell after shelling near the front line in the village of Travneve in Donetsk region, Ukraine (Reuters)

🔴US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order blocking trade and investment in “so-called DNR and LNR regions”. The White House, which described the Russian actions as blatant violation of Moscow’s international commitments, said that economic sanctions are in the pipeline. The executive order also provides authority to impose sanctions on any person determined to operate in those areas of Ukraine.

🔴 The United Kingdom, too, is preparing to impose “immediate sanctions against Russia”, news agency AP reported. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to take action at an 0630 GMT (12 pm IST) meeting of the government’s crisis response committee (COBR). In a call to Zelenskiy, Johnson offered defensive support saying that he believed an invasion was “a real possibility in the coming hours and days.”

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya speaks as United Nations Security Council meet. (Reuters)

🔴 At the emergency UNSC meeting, India called for restraint on all sides, stating that the escalation of tension along the border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation was a “matter of deep concern”. “These developments have the potential to undermine peace and security of the region…The immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said.

🔴 Meanwhile, US Secretary Antony Blinken on Tuesday tweeted that he had spoken to the People’s Republic of China State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring the “need to preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

— With PTI, Reuters inputs