EXTRAORDINARY ONLINE Russian troops are already in Ukraine, heading for the combat zone: Zelensky asks the West for help – Topky

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Putin announced on Monday that he had decided to immediately recognize the Donetsk People’s Republic and the People’s Republic of Luhan as independent states
Western leaders, led by US and EU, face sanctions
Putin ordered the deployment of troops to Ukraine
The UN Security Council meets extraordinarily

05:21 Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzia said at an extraordinary Security Council meeting on Tuesday that Moscow was still “open to diplomacy,” but stressed the need to defend separatist areas in eastern Ukraine from “Ukrainian aggression.” The AFP news agency informed about it. More info here.

04:25 The UN Security Council opened an extraordinary session on Tuesday with a deepening crisis in Ukraine. “We’re dealing with a very, very dramatic situation,” Nicolas de Riviere, the French ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters before entering the Chamber.

Photo gallery (7)

Extraordinary session of the UN Security Council
Source: SITA / Evan Schneider / United Nations via AP

03:37 Moscow’s new friendship treaties with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (LHR) and the People’s Republic of Luhansk (LPR) in eastern Ukraine allow Russia to establish and operate its own military bases there. The German news agency DPA reported on Tuesday.

03:20 The United States announced on Monday evening that it was sending all its diplomats to Ukraine in Poland – due to concerns about their safety. The US announcement came hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two insurgent areas in eastern Ukraine. The information was reported by the AFP news agency on Tuesday.

02:52 A witness to the Reuters agency in eastern Ukraine said that on Tuesday he saw columns of military vehicles, including tanks on the outskirts of Donetsk, the capital of one of the two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously recognized as independent states.

A Reuters reporter saw about five tanks in a column on the outskirts of Donetsk and two more tanks in another part of the city. No markings were visible on the tanks, but they appeared hours after Putin signed friendship agreements with the two separatist areas, Donetsk and Luhansk, ordering the deployment of Russian troops – Moscow called it a “peace operation.” Reuters reporters have not seen any tanks in the streets in Donetsk in recent days.

02:18 In a speech on Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the West for “clear support” because Russia recognized two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent states and then ordered its troops to “protect peace” there. The information was provided by AFP and AP news agencies. Zelensky spoke to the nation after extraordinary consultations with world leaders, during a chaotic day, when Russia is apparently approaching an invasion of Ukraine, the AP writes.

00:47 The United States voted on Monday on Russia President Vladimir Putin’s order to send Russian troops to separatist areas in eastern Ukraine. The United States said talks with Moscow were possible “until the tanks began to roll.” The information was provided by the AFP news agency.

00:25 The United States and allies, including France, called for an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting on Monday night after Russia recognized two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent states. The AFP news agency reported, referring to diplomats.

00:05 On Monday, France called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s speech on Ukraine paranoid and accused the Russian leader of breaking promises made to French President Emmanuel Macron. The AFP news agency informed about it. Putin’s speech to the nation, in which he recognized two Ukrainian regions as independent, Luhansk and Donetsk, was a mixture of “uncompromising and paranoid ideas,” said a representative from the French presidency. He added that the Russian leader “did not respect the promises made” to Macron.

23:52 The Baltic states are calling for “quick sanctions” by the EU against Russia after Moscow recognized the self-proclaimed breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine as independent states on Monday. In addition, Riga will deliver a portable anti-aircraft missile system Stinger to Ukraine on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to Reuters on Monday evening.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania said on January 21 that they would provide Kiev with anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles made in the United States, a few days after they received the appropriate export permit from the US State Department.

Lithuania sent Stinger missiles to Ukraine on February 13, and Estonia sent Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kiev on Friday.

23:09 United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres believes that Russia has violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty by recognizing two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent entities on Monday. This was stated by UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, who was quoted by Reuters.

“The UN continues to fully support Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the relevant General Assembly resolutions,” Dujarric said in a statement.

23:04 Two Ukrainian soldiers and a civilian lost their lives on Monday while shelling villages on the front line in Donbas. This was reported by the Ukrainian police, whose statement was quoted by the AFP agency.

According to police, the soldiers were killed in the village of Zaitsev, located about 30 kilometers north of the separatist-controlled bastion of Donetsk. Three other Ukrainian soldiers were injured. The killed civilian was identified by Ukrainian authorities as a 51-year-old resident of the village of Novoluhanske, which is about ten kilometers east of the village.

23:02 Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops to be sent to eastern Ukraine to “keep the peace” in separatist areas, Luhansk and Donetsk, which Moscow recognized as independent states on Monday. The DPA and AP news agencies reported late this evening on Monday. It is not yet clear whether and when the troops will enter the territory of Ukraine, world agencies write.

22:45 Slovak politicians led by the president join the West and reject any recognition of the independence of the separatist republics, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. According to them, it is only support for violence and hatred. More info here.

22:07 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Russia President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine – the Donetsk People’s Republic (LHR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) – as independent states. He stated that such a step is a violation of the so-called agreements, informs AFP.

The people of Donetsk celebrate

The people of Donetsk took to the streets on Monday night to celebrate the recognition of the independence of the People’s Republic of Donetsk (DDR) and the People’s Republic of Luhansk (DRL) by Russia, whose president signed the relevant decrees on Monday. RIA Novosti reports that the people of Donetsk are waving Russian flags and setting off fireworks.

In response to Moscow’s move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a series of phone calls on Monday evening with several Western leaders – including US President Joe Biden -, convened a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council and addressed the nation on Monday night.

The Crimean leadership, which has become a party to the Russian Federation following an internationally unrecognized referendum, has declared its support for the recognition of the DDR and the LR, as it is the “only possible solution” to “end the genocide of the people in Donbas.”

The west is outraged

Leaders of France, Germany and the United States on Monday condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize separatist areas in eastern Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk, as independent states, calling it a “clear violation of the Minsk peace agreements.” The AFP news agency informed about it.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden have agreed that “this step will not go unanswered.” This was stated by the office of the German Chancellor in a announcement published after the joint interview of the leaders.

The three Western Allies have also pledged to continue to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

The leaders praised the restraint of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenský in the latest developments and added that they will “do everything in their power to prevent the situation from escalating further”.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also condemned Russia’s move to recognize two separatist areas in eastern Ukraine as independent states – a sign that President Vladimir Putin was not interested in diplomacy.

“This decision means a total rejection of Russia’s obligations under the Minsk agreements, completely contradicts Russia’s allegations that it is committed to diplomacy, and it is a clear attack on Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.” Blinken wrote in the announcement. “Russia’s decision is another striking example of President Putin’s failure to respect international law and standards.” he added.

EXTRAORDINARY ONLINE Russian troops are already in Ukraine, heading for the combat zone: Zelensky asks the West for help

The people of Donetsk celebrate

The west is outraged

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