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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Samantha Lock (now); and Maanvi Singh, Gloria Oladipo, Léonie Chao-Fong and Sam Jones (earlier)

US, UK and European sanctions target Russian economy and oligarchs – as it happened

This blog is now closed. You can follow all the developments in the crisis at our new blog here:

Agence France-Presse has shared a video of empty streets across eastern Ukraine this morning.

In the footage, loudspeakers announce the location of evacuation centres in the Ukrainian city of Khartsyzsk, after Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, ordered troops into the self-proclaimed rebel republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Russia’s ambassador to the United States has hit back at the imposition of sanctions imposed by US president Joe Biden, suggesting the move would hurt global financial and energy markets as well as ordinary citizens.

According to a recent post on the Russian embassy Facebook page early Wednesday, ambassador Anatoly Antonov said:

Sanctions will not solve anything regarding Russia. It’s hard to imagine that anyone in Washington is counting on Russia to review its foreign policy course under threat of restrictions.

I don’t remember a single day when our country lived without any restrictions from the Western world. We learned how to work in such conditions. And not only survive, but also develop our state.

There is no doubt that the sanctions imposed against us will hurt the global financial and energy markets.

The United States will not be left out, where ordinary citizens will feel the full consequences of rising prices.”

New Zealand has summoned Russian ambassador Georgii Zuev to meet on Wednesday with top diplomatic officials who are urging Russia to return to diplomatic negotiations over Ukraine, the Associated Press reports.

Foreign affairs minister Nanaia Mahuta is currently out of the country but said in a statement that the ambassador was called in “to hear New Zealand’s strong opposition to the actions taken by Russia in recent days, and condemn what looks to be the beginning of a Russian invasion into Ukraine territory.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed to the Associated Press that the meeting had taken place but declined to provide any further details.

Canada has delivered a second aircraft filled with “lethal military aid” to Ukraine on Tuesday.

National defence minister Anita Anand said:

Today, our Canadian Armed Forces made a second delivery of lethal military aid to support our Ukrainian partners.

Russia’s further invasion of a sovereign state is absolutely unacceptable, and we will continue to stand by Ukraine as the country defends its sovereignty and independence.”

Updated

‘Grab him by the roubles’: Here’s how the British papers covered the threat of war in Ukraine.

The prospect of a full-blown invasion dominated the front pages, along with doubts as to the effectiveness of first tranche of sanctions on Moscow.

Australia has confirmed it will hit Russia with a range of sanctions targeting transport energy, telecommunications, oil, gas and mineral reserves.

Sanctions and travel bans will also target eight members of the Russian Federation’s security council, while existing sanctions in place over past Russian aggression will be expanded, prime minister Scott Morrison told reporters on Wednesday. Russian banks have also been targeted.

Morrison said he expects further tranches of sanctions that will target more individuals after convening cabinet’s national security committee earlier in the day.

Morrison told reporters from Canberra:

The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun.

Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia along with all of our partners, and all those who believe that it is totally unacceptable that Russia could invade its neighbour.

Morrison said the government will “immediately” begin placing sanctions on Russian individuals and will amend the Autonomous Sanctions regulation of 2011 to extend existing sanctions that apply to Crimea and Sevastopol to the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Updated

Oil prices dipped at the start of Wednesday’s trading session as the market judged that sanctions against Russia will not do much to disrupt supplies from the world’s third largest producer.

Crude prices have surged in recent weeks to a seven-year high on alarm about the conflict in Ukraine possibly interrupting supplies from Russia, which accounts for about 11% of global supply.

An oil production facility in the Pechora Sea, south of Novaya Zemlya in Russia.
An oil production facility in the Pechora Sea, south of Novaya Zemlya in Russia. Photograph: Tatyana Makeyeva/AFP/Getty Images

But Brent crude fell 13 cents, or 0.1%, to $96.71 a barrel at 0142 GMT, after soaring as high as $99.50 on Tuesday, the highest since September 2014 as it became clear the first wave of US and European sanctions on Russia for sending troops into eastern Ukraine would not disrupt oil supply.

A potential return of more Iranian crude to the market, with Tehran and world powers close to reviving a nuclear agreement, also helped to push prices down.

Asian stock markets were back in positive territory on Wednesday despite more losses on Wall Street on Tuesday.

Updated

While we are in the Asia Pacifc region, Australia’s prime minister Scott Morrison is set to convene a cabinet national security committee as western nations begin to impose sanctions against Russia.

The committee is expected to finalise what targeted sanctions and measures Australia will introduce.

International security and intelligence professor John Blaxland said Australia would look to support European and Nato action “without overstepping the mark”.

“I’m a little bit worried that this may once again become a political football and we need to be very, very cautious at this point,” he told the Nine Network.

Australia has ruled out direct military assistance and is supporting Ukraine’s cyber-capability. It has left the door open for technical military support but the prime minister declined to elaborate on what the term meant.

Home affairs minister Karen Andrews told radio 4BC: “We’ll be considering sanctions and the extent of those and in the days to follow.”

Taiwan’s security and armed forces must increase their surveillance and alertness on military activities in the region, president Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday during a meeting to discuss the Ukraine crisis, Reuters reports.

Taiwan and Ukraine are fundamentally different in terms of geostrategic, geographical environment and importance of international supply chains, but government units must tackle possible “cognitive warfare” and misinformation by foreign forces, Tsai’s office cited her as saying.

Updated

Blinken says Ukraine invasion was Putin's plan 'all along'

US secretary of state Antony Blinken earlier said an invasion of Ukraine had been Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “plan all along”, calling the situation a “manufactured crisis”.

In a joint press conference with Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington held on Tuesday evening local time, Blinken said:

His plan all along has been to invade Ukraine; to control Ukraine and its people; to destroy Ukraine’s democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads; to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia.

That’s why this is the greatest threat to security in Europe since world war two”.

Updated

Another Ukrainian serviceman was wounded by shelling on Tuesday with five others also injured and in need of medical care, according to Ukraine’s joint forces operation situation recently published report.

The report says Ukraine recorded a further 72 violations over the past 24 hours from Russia-backed forces, 53 of which were using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

A Ukrainian serviceman in a fortified position between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote.
A Ukrainian serviceman in a fortified position between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote. Photograph: Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

A pumping station was also damaged in the settlement of Zolote, leaving more than 3,000 civilians of the settlement of Popasna without drinking water, according to the latest briefing report published by Ukraine’s ministry of defence.

A residential building in the village of Vodiane was destroyed, as was a farm building and agricultural property in the settlement of Verkhnotoretske.

Some 42 families were evacuated from the village of Vrubivka, including 30 school-age children and 15 preschool children, the ministry added.

We have some more detail surrounding the sanctions Japan has announced against Russia.

Prime minister Fumio Kishida said Japan will prohibit the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freeze the assets of certain Russian individuals, Reuters reports.

Kishida, who also called on Russia to return to diplomatic discussions, said he did not see a significant impact on energy supplies in the short term from the current situation and said further steps would be considered should the situation worsen.

Map showing Ukraine and Russian-controlled territories

The Ukraine crisis, for now, revolves around the country’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, now proclaimed independent states by Vladimir Putin. So it might be useful to use this map as a reference point.

Updated

The future of the world order is 'being decided in Ukraine' Kuleba says

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba wrapped up his interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper this evening by providing a list of reasons as to why the United States should be invested in the conflict in Ukraine.

First, in 1994 Ukraine abandoned its nuclear arsenal which was the third in size in the world ... We abandoned it in return for security guarantees issued in particular by the United States. We were promised that if anyone attacks us, the United States would be among countries who will be helping us.

Second, what is happening in Ukraine is not only about Ukraine. President Putin challenges Euro-Atlantic order. If the West fails in Ukraine, the next target of Putin will be one of the Nato members on its eastern flank.

Third, if Putin succeeds in Ukraine, other players across the globe who want to change rules, who want to bypass the United States, they will see that this is possible, that the West is incapable of defending what it stands for.

All in all ... Americans should be interested in keeping the world order as it stands and the future of this order is being decided right now in Ukraine.”

Updated

Continuing to dissect Kuleba’s interview with CNN earlier, the foreign minister said that although he supports the recent US sanctions as an “important” message, he believes they are insufficient in dissuading a Russian attack.

Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington on Tuesday.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba in Washington on Tuesday. Photograph: Reuters

No sanctions will be enough until Russian boots withdraw from Ukrainian soil.

This is [the] fundamental principle, that we have to keep putting pressure on Russia and we in Ukraine proceed from the fact that the sanctions announced today by President Biden is just the beginning of the process of deterring president Putin and making him withdraw.”

Referring to any further sanctions, Kuleba suggested no single option or possibility should be left off the table.

We want every instrument available to be used in order to stop Putin.

If the price of saving a country is the most, harshest sanctions possible, then we should go for the harshest sanctions possible.”

Putin’s ultimate goal is to 'destroy Ukraine', foreign minister says

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says Russian president Vladimir Putin’s ultimate goal is to “destroy Ukraine” and “no sanctions will be enough” until Russian forces withdraw from Ukrainian soil.

During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Kubela said:

His ultimate goal is to destroy Ukraine. He’s not interested in parts of Ukraine. He is not interested in even keeping the entire country under his control.

What I know for certain, and this was eloquently proved, regretfully, in his address yesterday, is that he hates [the] Ukrainian statehood, he believes that Ukraine has no right to exist.

Putin “wants the idea of the Ukrainian statehood to fail. This is his objective,” Kubela added.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba speak in Washington on Tuesday.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken and Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba speak in Washington on Tuesday. Photograph: Reuters

Updated

Former US president Donald Trump has called Russian president Vladimir Putin a “genius” for his decision to recognise the two self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk of Ukraine and deploy troops into the Russian-controlled territory.

In an interview with American conservative talk radio hosts on the Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, Trump said:

This is genius Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful.

So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, ‘How smart is that?’ ...

Here’s a guy who’s very savvy… I know him very well. Very, very well.”

Trump accused Joe Biden of being “weak” in his response to Putin, adding that it “never would have happened” if he were still president.

By the way, this never would have happened with us. Had I been in office, not even thinkable. This would never have happened.”

Referring to Putin, Trump added:

I think he sees this opportunity. I knew that he always wanted Ukraine. I used to talk to him about it. I said, ‘You can’t do it. You’re not gonna do it.’ But I could see that he wanted it. I used to ask him. We used to talk about it at length.”

Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida has also followed in the footsteps of the United States by imposing sanctions on Russia, Reuters reports.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

Ukraine foreign minister says US sanctions against Russia are strong 'first move'

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba described US President Joe Biden’s move to impose a first tranche of sanctions against Russia as a strong “first move,” adding he also received a promise of more weapons from US officials.

“The sanctions that President Biden announced today - they look strong if we consider them as a first move,” the Ukraine foreign minister said in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.

He added Ukraine was not seeking US troops on the ground to resolve the crisis.
Western nations on Tuesday punished Russia with new sanctions for ordering troops into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.

The United Nations secretary general has said Russian troops on Ukraine border are “not peacekeepers”, while calling for an immediate ceasefire.

António Guterres said he is “deeply troubled” by the latest developments.

At this critical moment, I call for an immediate ceasefire and re-establishment of the rule of law.

We need restraint & reason. We need de-escalation now.”

Earlier we reported US president Joe Biden’s announcement that the United States would be issuing sanctions against Russian banks, oligarchs and others, with plans to escalate sanctions if Russia advances its invasion.

The decision comes as retaliation for Russia recognising two self-proclaimed republics, Donetsk and Luhansk, and sending troops there, adding to western efforts to stop what they fear is the beginning of a full-scale invasion.

The measures target Russian banks and sovereign debt, among other steps. Watch the video of the key moments from Biden’s speech below.

Satellite images show new deployment of military vehicles in Belarus

Satellite images show a new deployment of more than 100 military vehicles and dozens of troop tents in southern Belarus near the Ukraine border, a private US company said on Tuesday.

A satellite image from Maxar Technologies allegedly shows a close up of a field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia.
A satellite image from Maxar Technologies allegedly shows a close up of a field hospital and troop deployment in western Belgorod, Russia. Photograph: Maxar Technologies Handout/EPA

The images reportedly show a new field hospital has been added to a military garrison in western Russia close to the border with Ukraine, according to a statement from Maxar Technologies, which has been tracking the buildup of Russian forces for weeks.

This Maxar satellite image taken on Monday purports to show military vehicles at a railyard in Veselaya Lopan, south-west of Belgorod, Russia.
This Maxar satellite image taken on Monday purports to show military vehicles at a railyard in Veselaya Lopan, south-west of Belgorod, Russia. Photograph: Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Tech/AFP/Getty Images

The images could not be independently verified by Reuters however they have been widely shared by correspondents reporting from Ukraine.

Updated

A large pro-Ukraine rally broke out earlier today in the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Mariupol in the Donetsk region. It is the same region that unilaterally declared its independence from Ukraine yesterday, with Putin recognising the expanded borders of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Joyce Karam, senior correspondent for the National News, uploaded a video of the event with footage showing hundreds of people waving the Ukrainian flag and singing.

Hello it’s Samantha Lock with you as my colleague Maanvi Singh signs off.

As we reported earlier, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that he will be introducing the conscription of thousands of reservists for military service as Russia moves its troops into east Ukraine.

In a televised address which has since been published on the Ukraine ministry of defence website late on on Tuesday night, Zelenskiy said he was still pursuing diplomatic ways out of the crisis and would not cede any territory to Russia. Reuters cites the president:

There is no need for general mobilisation today. We need to promptly replenish the Ukrainian army and other military formations.

As the supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Ukraine, I issued a decree on the conscription of reservists during a special period.

We must increase the readiness of the Ukrainian army for all possible changes in the operational situation.

Catch up:

  • Russia’s upper house unanimously voted to grant Vladimir Putin’s request to deploy troops outside Russia.
  • The secretary general of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, said: “Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine,” adding that it was “never too late” for Russia not to attack.
  • Putin said that Russia will support the territorial claims of its proxy states in east Ukraine, dramatically increasing the likelihood of a larger war in the near future.
  • European Union foreign ministers voted to sanction Russian individuals and entities over Ukraine.
  • US president Joe Biden said that “this is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine” during remarks today, imposing new sanctions on Russia but adding that diplomacy is still possible.
  • US secretary of state Antony Blinken said that he will no longer be meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov: “Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy it does not make sense to go forward that meeting at this time.”

We’re not afraid of Putin’: defiance on the streets of Kyiv

The doors to the Russian embassy in Kyiv were shut on Tuesday. Seemingly nobody was at home. Outside on the street a small, noisy crowd of demonstrators waved blue and yellow Ukrainian flags. “We are not afraid of Vladimir Putin. Or his army,” said one activist, Roman Tyschenko.

Behind him protesters banged kettle drums and broke into a rhythmic chant of “Putin huiylo”, to blaring music from a loudspeaker. “It means Putin is a motherfucker,” Tyschenko explained. “It’s our anthem. Football fans in Kharkiv invented the song in 2014, when Russia stole Crimea.”

After a meeting with his security council on Monday in Moscow, Putin recognised the so-called breakaway territories of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent. In a long, and menacing speech he also asserted that Ukraine was not a state, but a historical mistake made by Lenin.

“Putin is insane, crazy,” Tyschenko said. “Ukraine is both a country and a state. We have ancient traditions. Kyiv was founded before Moscow. We have a much longer record of nationhood.”

The threat of war hangs over Kyiv, a city of 3 million people plus another million who commute daily from its suburbs. The US and UK governments believe Putin’s ambitions go beyond the Donbas region, whose separatist administrations Moscow has long armed and propped up.

They believe that Russia’s president is poised to attack and encircle the Ukrainian capital, sending in tanks and troops currently parked two hours’ drive away, just across the border in Belarus. The talk among intelligence professionals is of Baghdad-style shock and awe. His goal: to subjugate Ukraine.

And yet so far Kyiv residents have reacted to the situation with a collective weapon: carrying on as normal. Cafes and restaurants were open on Tuesday, mothers pushed their toddlers through parks bathed in spring sunshine, and cyclists bumped over cobbled streets.

Read more:

Updated

“There’s no such thing as a minor, middle or major invasion. Invasion is an invasion,” Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said.

Kuleba said that his country was “puzzled” by the US decision to sanction individuals in Ukraine’s breakaway territories because that did not punish Russia directly. But he said Ukraine was pleased with sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs. His message: “Hit Russia’s economy now and hit it hard.”

“The Ukrainian people will surely remember the United States standing with Ukraine at this decisive moment in history,” he said.

Updated

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has called the Russia-Ukraine situation “the greatest threat to security in Europe since World War Two” during a joint press conference with Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Blinken doubled down on remarks made by Joe Biden earlier about Russia’s intentions to invade Ukraine, saying that Putin’s intention all along has been to “invade Ukraine, to control Ukraine, its people, to destroy Ukraine’s democracy”.

Blinken also added that he will no longer be meeting with the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov: “Now that we see the invasion is beginning and Russia has made clear its wholesale rejection of diplomacy it does not make sense to go forward that meeting at this time.”

Updated

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, is currently holding a press conference with Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba about developments in the Russia-Ukraine situation.

The joint meeting follows Joe Biden’s announcement today about the first round of sanctions against Russian banks, oligarchs and others, with plans to escalate sanctions if Russia advances its invasion.

Video of the press conference is also available here.

Updated

Canada’s foreign affairs minister, Mélanie Joly, said today that Canada will be imposing sanctions on Russia, tweeting:

I have directed my Deputy Minister to summon the Russia Ambassador to explain Russia’s continued aggression, violation of international law, and disregard for Ukrainian sovereignty. Canada stands with Ukraine.

We will be imposing severe sanctions in response.

Updated

During updates given today in Ukraine’s parliament, president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that he will be calling on reservists for a special period, ruling out a general mobilisation as Russia moves its troops into east Ukraine, reported Reuters.

Zelenskiy said that he is still pursuing diplomatic solutions with Russia and welcomed Turkey’s participation in talks between Russia and Ukraine, but noted again that Ukraine will not be ceding any territory to Russia.

Zelenskiy also announced the beginning of a new “economic patriotism” programme that would incentivise local production and provide tax cuts on gasoline.

Updated

Today so far

  • Russia’s upper house unanimously voted to grant Vladimir Putin’s request to deploy troops outside Russia.
  • The secretary general of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, said: “Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine,” adding that it was “never too late” for Russia not to attack.
  • Putin said that Russia will support the territorial claims of its proxy states in east Ukraine, dramatically increasing the likelihood of a larger war in the near future.
  • European Union foreign ministers voted to sanction Russian individuals and entities over Ukraine.
  • US president Joe Biden said that “this is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine” during remarks today, imposing new sanctions on Russia but adding that diplomacy is still possible.

Updated

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy said today that there was no need for general mobilisation, noting that his priority was to preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, reported Reuters.

Updated

As the situation between Russia and Ukraine escalates, reporter Pjotr Sauer wrote an article for the Guardian about how residents in Moscow feel amid an impending invasion:

Like many of her friends, Tatyana, a barista at the fashionable Moscow coffee-shop chain Skuratov, was glued to the screen of her mobile phone as Vladimir Putin addressed the nation.

“Usually, I don’t watch television, especially when our president speaks. But I felt like I had to tune in this time. I was witnessing history in the making,” she said, smoking an e-cigarette. “But I am not sure yet if history is going in the right direction.”

The day after the Russian leader’s late-night speech, in which he recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk, Muscovites were digesting what Putin’s decision could mean for them and their futures.

While he ended his address by “congratulating” fellow Russians on the recognition of the two territories, a celebratory mood was absent in the capital, with many fretting about the political and economic consequences his decision might have.

“If the recognition brings peace to the region, fine, why not do it,” said Andrei, a regional director at a large logistics firm in Moscow. “But it is already costing me money. I have invested a lot of my savings in shares of Russian companies.”

Read the full article here.

Australia prime minister Scott Morrison will hold a meeting with the country’s National Security Committee to discuss next steps with regards to the Russia-Ukraine situation. Further sanctions will likely be imposed against Russia.

Biden: "This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine” but diplomacy is an option

During a speech today updating on the Russia-Ukraine situation, US president Joe Biden warned that “this is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine”, adding that he hopes diplomacy is still an option.

President Joe Biden speaks about Ukraine in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, in Washington.
President Joe Biden speaks about Ukraine in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, in Washington. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP

In his remarks, the US president warned Putin has taken steps to invade Ukraine, adding that the Russian president “bizarrely” claimed two Ukrainian territories were no longer a part of Ukraine.

Biden said: “Who in the Lord’s name does Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called countries?”

“To put it simply, Russia just announced that it is carving out a big chunk of Ukraine,” he said, adding that Putin’s actions are a “flagrant violation of international law”.

But Biden said the US and its allies are still open to exploring a diplomatic option with Russia to avoid a “worst case scenario”: “The United States and our allies and partners remain open to diplomacy – if it’s serious.”

Biden announced that further sanctions will be imposed on Russia, targeting Russian banks and debts, among other things.

Biden also noted that such sanctions will go beyond those implemented in 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea.

While Biden said his administration is working to reduce the financial burden such sanctions will have on American households, especially on the price of gas domestically, he said: “Defending freedom will have cost for us as well, here at home ... But as we do this, I’m going to take robust action to make sure the pain of our sanctions is targeted at the Russian economy, not ours.”

Updated

The US president, Joe Biden, is currently giving remarks with updates on the Russia-Ukraine situation, including an announcement of sanctions being rolled out starting tomorrow.

This story is developing – stay tuned. The Guardian US political blog is also reporting on Biden’s speech here.

Updated

The US embassy in Kyiv tweeted support to the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, about his decision to freeze Nord Stream 2, the controversial natural gas pipeline that would link Germany to Russia.

From the US Embassy Kyiv Twitter account:

We applaud German Chancellor Sholz’s decision to freeze NS2. Strong Allied unity in the face of Russian aggression. More will follow.

Updated

A meeting between the Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, has been cancelled.

From the Wall Street Journal’s Vivian Salama:

Updated

Poland is “quite well prepared to welcome a lot of Ukrainians” fleeing a Russian offensive in their country, the EU’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, told AFP.

Speaking after talks with Poland’s deputy interior minister, Bartosz Grodecki, on his country’s plans and preparations to handle various scenarios that might be thrown up by Moscow’s actions, she said:

I must say that I’m quite convinced that Poland is quite well prepared to welcome a lot of Ukrainians if necessary.

Johansson did not advance any estimate of how many Ukrainians might seek shelter in Poland from Russian military action, nor details of the plans drawn up by Warsaw.

Updated

France has accused Vladimir Putin of failing to respect his country’s commitments to key international accords including the 2014 Minsk agreement, AFP reports.

In a statement following the unanimous decision by the EU’s 27 member states to impose new sanctions on Russia, France’s foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, said the Russian president “no longer honours Russia’s signature”.

Referring to the separatist-held areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in Ukraine, Le Drian said:

President Putin doesn’t honour his own commitments, because he stated publicly that the idea of a vote by the Duma resulting in recognition of the two republics … was not on the agenda.

The Minsk agreement was also Russia’s signature, Putin’s own, renewed at a meeting in Paris in December 2019.

Asked if the French president, Emmanuel Macron, had been misled by Putin with false hopes of a breakthrough, Le Drian said the French leader “knows the methods, character and cynicism” of his Russian counterpart.

Updated

The government in Kyiv is unlikely to accept any of Putin’s ultimatums, which would involve voluntarily handing over large swathes of its territory and endorsing the annexation of Crimea.

Before Putin spoke, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had addressed the country saying:

We will give nothing away, we fear nothing and nobody.

Even dropping the country’s bid for Nato membership would be political suicide, much less agreeing to the dismemberment of the country.

The foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, responded indirectly to Putin’s evening speech, underlining Ukraine’s ties to the west by revealing that he had renewed requests to the European Union for a path to membership.

At a memorial service for a soldier killed on the frontline, the minister of defence, Oleksii Reznikov, accused Putin of trying to rebuild the Soviet empire:

The Kremlin has made yet another step towards resurrection of the Soviet Union, with a new Warsaw Pact and Berlin Wall.

The only thing that stands in between is Ukraine and its army.

Increasingly in Kyiv, there was a sense that Russia had decided to escalate military conflict with Ukraine, and the only remaining question was scale.

Bohdan Yaremenko, MP and member of parliament’s foreign policy committee, said:

Unfortunately, there are more and more confirmations that such a decision by Russia is a reality. As Russia abandons diplomacy as a tool for resolving the conflict, Ukraine has no choice but to prepare to defend its territory.

We expect that … the democratic countries of the world, which respect international law and reject military force as a mechanism for establishing borders, will express their position by applying sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Officials also called on western allies to come good on their promises of a strong response to Russian aggression, after criticism that some sanctions including those unveiled by the UK seemed limited in scope and target.

This is a public ultimatum to Ukraine and the west,

said Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the ministry of interior. He said it left Ukrainians with no option “except to resist all the ways we have”.

In Kyiv there was both gratitude for western responses and frustration that some did not seem to go very far. UK sanctions targeted only individuals and smaller banks.

Updated

The unfolding crisis in Ukraine poses a diplomatic dilemma for China but also offers an opportunity for Beijing as Joe Biden’s administration is likely to continue to be distracted by Russia ahead of the US mid-term elections later this year.

China’s position in this round of Russia v the west is under particularly heavy scrutiny following Xi Jinping’s pledge with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on 4 February that there would be “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation” in their bilateral relationship.

In the last few days, as the crisis in Ukraine dominated international headlines, Chinese analysts have debated the country’s policy choice. While hardliners advocate a pro-Russia foreign policy, others think Beijing should seize on this crisis to protect ties with Washington.

“China ultimately wants good relations with the US,” said Wang Huiyao, president of the Centre for China and Globalisation, a Beijing-based thinktank, who also advises the government.

It is true that Beijing and Moscow have pledged closer cooperation, because both countries have similar concerns over external involvement in their own security issues,

Wang said, adding that China sees some parallels in Nato’s eastward expansion with its own concerns relating to the South China Sea, which, he said “should all be resolved by the countries in the region without foreign interference”.

China’s Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Beijing earlier this month.
China’s Xi Jinping and Russian president Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Beijing earlier this month. Photograph: Alexei Druzhinin/AP

Updated

Russia has said it will evacuate its diplomatic staff from Ukraine to “protect their lives and safety”.

A statement from the foreign ministry said:

Our first priority is to take care of Russian diplomats and employees of the embassy and consulates general.

To protect their lives and safety, the Russian leadership decided to evacuate staff of Russian missions in Ukraine, which will be implemented in the very near future.

A military convoy of more than 100 trucks with soldiers was seen heading in the direction of the Ukrainian border in Russia’s Belgorod region, according to a witness who spoke to Reuters.

Updated

Vladimir Putin can still avoid a full-blown war of choice, the US defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, said at the start of talks at the Pentagon with Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba.

Austin condemned Russia’s “latest invasion” of Ukraine but said the United States is working with allies to prevent the conflict from growing.

He said the US will continue to work closely with Kyiv and allies “in trying to find a way to avoid further conflict”, and praised Ukraine’s “measured response” in calling for a peaceful solution “in the face of Russia’s aggression, provocations and false accusations.”

Updated

Smoke rising over the Luhansk thermal power plant after shelling by pro-Russian militants near the small city of Schastye in the Luhansk area, Ukraine, on Tuesday.
Smoke rising over the Luhansk thermal power plant after shelling by pro-Russian militants near the small city of Schastye in the Luhansk area, Ukraine, on Tuesday. Photograph: Povernys’ Zhyvym HANDOUT/EPA

The US president, Joe Biden, is expected to deliver remarks on Ukraine and Russia in the next few minutes.

For live updates from Biden’s speech, head over to our US politics live blog. I will continue here with our global coverage of the Ukraine crisis, and post the top lines that emerge from the White House.

Updated

The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is talking in Brussels following the unveiling of EU sanctions.

She says she welcomes the package of sanctions against Russia.

Russia is not respecting its international obligations and it is violating core principle of international law.

Russia has manufactured this crisis and is responsible for the current escalation.

She says the decision by Germany to halt the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project is “absolutely right”.

Nord Stream 2 has to be assessed in light of the security of energy supply for the whole European Union.

This crisis shows us that Europe is still too dependent on Russian gas.

She adds that the European Union is “united and acting fast”:

Our action today is in response to Russia’s aggressive behaviour. If Russia continues to escalate this crisis that it has created, we are ready to take further action in response.

Updated

EU to sanction Russian individuals and entities over Ukraine

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Tuesday to sanction 27 Russians and entities, as well banks, the defence sector and limiting Russian access to European capital markets, Reuters reports.

All members of Russia’s Duma, parliament’s lower house, will be hit with EU sanctions, which typically involve travel bans and asset freezes.

The EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told a news conference alongside France’s foreign minister at a meeting in Paris:

This package of sanctions that has been approved by unanimity by the member states will hurt Russia, and it will hurt a lot.

Updated

We have been asking people living in Ukraine to share their reaction to the situation. Here are some views:

‘Staying means psychological pressure’

Roman, a 37-year-old software developer, based near Kyiv:

Putin’s actions were predictable, Russia wouldn’t have attacked directly as it would mean immediate sanctions. But now they have greater leverage. I think there will be high tensions for a long time.

If we stay here, we stay under psychological pressure. Last night I was discussing leaving with my wife and she was crying. We don’t want to leave here, it’s a very nice place to live. I have three children aged 10, eight and six-months. We also have a cat which makes it difficult to move abroad. It doesn’t feel good.

We’ve been looking at immediate flights to Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, but because of visa reasons we’d need to return fairly quickly. It’s expensive and only solves the immediate problem. We decided not to leave right now, but wait three to five weeks and try to move to western Ukraine, near the Slovakian border.

‘The level of anxiety is high but we’re not sitting back, I have shooting lessons this weekend’

Iryna, a 32-year-old thinktank co-founder in Kyiv:

I don’t plan to go anywhere, this is our home and it’s the place we have to defend. With my friends we are going to a shooting lesson this weekend and we’re planning to receive permission to have guns at home, which takes between two weeks and one month for the papers.

People with small children or elderly people are thinking about moving to western Ukraine, but others want to defend their home. No one else is going to help us. We’re not expecting a big war but we have to be ready. A lot of people are taking medical courses.

Some of the sanctions have been disappointing. Germany cancelling the pipeline was good, and the UK’s actions were a strong move. We’re waiting to see what the US will do.

The level of anxiety is high but you have to manage. There is no place for you to relax and be calm. We’re not going to just sit and wait.

People walk in the central streets to protest against Russian aggression during ta rally in Kyiv, Ukraine on 12 February.
People walk in the central streets to protest against Russian aggression during ta rally in Kyiv, Ukraine on 12 February. Photograph: Ukrinform/REX/Shutterstock

‘I don’t think there will be a big war, but I keep the car tank refuelled just in case’

Maksym, a 24-year-old web developer in the city of Lviv, western Ukraine:

I’m worrying about Donetsk and Luhansk and about if Ukraine starts a mobilisation. But I think this will be the end of the conflict, a big war will be really bad for Russia, it won’t be able to sell its gas. My friends think the same, and even if a big war does happen, they think it won’t impact western Ukraine as much.

If it turns to active war I would leave the country – possibly to somewhere like Cyprus. But for now I’m just working, it just looks like a normal day here, everything is good for now. However, I keep the car tank refuelled and I plan to withdraw funds from bank accounts just in case. I have a friend from about 150 miles near Donetsk, and she’s worrying, she doesn’t know whether she needs to leave.

If you’re in Ukraine and want to share views or experiences with us you can do that here.

Updated

Russia’s recognition of two separatist regions of Ukraine and its decision to send troops are the start of a new invasion, the US deputy secretary of state, Wendy Sherman, said.

In a statement to an extraordinary meeting of the OSCE, she said:

Make no mistake: Yesterday’s actions are the beginning of the latest Russian invasion of Ukraine.

She added:

We are on the precipice of a dark and dangerous era.

Updated

The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, have spoken about the “chilling developments in Ukraine”, a No 10 spokesperson said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

The prime minister updated President Macron on the new sanctions he unveiled against Russia today, and the leaders agreed they needed to continue to work in lockstep to target Russian individuals and entities bankrolling President Putin’s aggressive approach.”

The prime minister said that President Putin’s actions were a gross violation of international law, and by sending forces into Eastern Ukraine he had ripped up the Budapest and Minsk agreements.

The two leaders agreed that Russia’s actions “don’t just threaten Ukraine’s sovereignty, but are a blatant attack on freedom and democracy”, the spokesperson added.

The pair reiterated that together, the UK and France were working to reinforce Europe’s borders and defend European security against increasing Russian aggression.

Updated

More from Nato’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, speaking at a briefing in Brussels. He said Nato allies have more than 100 warplanes on high alert and more than 120 warships ready at sea from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean Sea.

He said Nato response force remains on high readiness but is not yet being deployed, although some allies are moving troops, ships and planes into the Baltic states and near the Black Sea to defend other Nato members.

Nato has to respond when we see aggressive actions by Russia, but we continue to strive for dialogue, for de-escalation and we believe it is important to talk.

Updated

Russia recognises expanded borders of Donetsk and Luhansk

Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will support the territorial claims of its proxy states in east Ukraine, dramatically increasing the likelihood of a larger war in the near future.

Putin confirmed that Russia had recognised the expanded borders of the two Russian-controlled territories in east Ukraine in remarks to the press.

“We recognised the states,” he said.

That means we recognised all of their fundamental documents, including the constitution, where it is written that their [borders] are the territories at the time the two regions were part of Ukraine.

His dry explanation has explosive consequences: Russia could use the territorial claims as a cause to launch an invasion of more Ukrainian territory, saying it was defending the interests of its proxy states in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Putin stopped short of saying that he was about to launch a further invasion.

But we expect, and I want to underline this, that all the difficult questions will be solved during negotiations between the current Kyiv government and the leadership of this government.

But Kyiv has always resisted negotiating directly with the governments of the Russian-controlled territories, saying it wants to speak with Moscow directly.

Having recognised the territories and received authorisation to use military force abroad on Tuesday evening, it has become clear that Russia is building the framework for what could be a broader conflict in Ukraine.

Updated

All three Baltic states called for tough economic sanctions to be levied now against Russia in the margins of the Joint Expeditionary Force meeting – and called for more British and other Nato troops to deploy in their countries and around eastern Europe.

Artis Pabriks, Latvia’s defence minister, was the most outspoken, calling for tough sanctions to be introduced now. This should “include everything which is economically painful” including banking, energy and oligarchs “must be personally targeted” – while Britain should “certainly” clean up the flow of dirty money in London.

A former soldier who served unwillingly, he said, in Soviet forces, he said Putin could not be appeased and was weighing up whether to invade Ukraine based, in part, on the strength of the West’s response.

If we are mild today, then instead of spilling money, we will spill blood, because he [Putin] will not stop?

Kalle Lannet, the defence minister of Estonia, said “we need to orient more of these sanctions towards oligarchs” while Margiris Abukevicius, the deputy defence minister of Lithuania, called for a “doubling of the number” of Nato forces in eastern Europe.

Nato currently operates four battle groups of about 1,500 in Estonia – led by the UK – Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, with the creation of similar forces being considered for Romania and Bulgaria. Both the US and the UK have already sent additional forces to the region.

Updated

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, describes an “armed to the teeth Ukraine” as “anti-Russia” and “unacceptable”.

Speaking at a briefing in Moscow, Putin says Russia is “seriously concerned” about the threat of Ukraine developing nuclear weapons.

He claims Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s recent remarks deploring Ukraine giving up its nuclear arsenal in 1994 were “targeted at Russia”, and says the only thing that Ukraine lacks in this regard is the systems to enrich uranium.

Asked whether Russian troops will be deployed to the separatist-held republics or go beyond that, Putin does not give a straight answer.

I didn’t say they will go there straight after our meeting.

He adds that deployment of troops to Ukraine depends on the situation on the ground.

Updated

In the wake of Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk, Ukrainians took to social media to pledge they would no longer speak Russian.

Alex Cooper, a well known restaurateur, was one of them.

I was born in Bessarabia, since childhood my friends and I spoke a mix of three or four languages. In my family, everyone spoke Ukrainian with Cherkasy touches, because my mother is from that region, and I always considered it my homeland.

Then after 10 years in Odessa for school and higher education, I continued to think in Ukrainian, but I spoke Russian, because it was more convenient. But at the moment I see no option for myself other than to stay in Ukraine, work honestly, do my job even better, do new projects and speak Ukrainian.

Another woman with family in Russia said:

My name is Katya, I am 31 years old, I thought and spoke in Russian every day. My closest, most dearly loved people live in Russia – my mother, grandmother, sister and nephews. I love, adore and respect them infinitely.

I am in excruciating pain for this language gap, but I am grown up and an independent person. And I don’t even want to be lexically involved in this madness.

Updated

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, says the Minsk agreements “no longer exists”, Reuters reports.

Addressing reporters at a second news conference in Moscow this afternoon, Putin says the “best decision that Ukraine could take would be to renounce its Nato membership ambitions”.

He says Russia will provide military assistance to rebels in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

If there is a conflict of course, if it is necessary, we will follow through on the obligations we took.

We’re counting on resolution of all these differences. These differences will be sorted out between Kyiv, and Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

But for the moment we understand that this is probably impossible in this current situation but we’re hoping for this in the future.

Putin called for international recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, claiming Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula should be internationally recognized as a legitimate reflection of the local population’s choice.

Updated

The White House has now said that the US president, Joe Biden, will deliver remarks on the Ukraine crisis at 6pm UK time (1pm EST).

The address will provide “an update on Russia and Ukraine,” the White House said, bringing forward the scheduled time by one hour.

Updated

Stoltenberg: 'Every indication Russia planning full-scale attack'

Russia has not stopped planning for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine since recognising the independence of separatist enclaves, the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said.

“Every indication is that Russia is continuing to plan for a full-scale attack of Ukraine,” Stoltenberg tells reporters.

We see the ongoing military build up... We see that more and more of the forces are moving out of the camps and are in combat formations and ready to strike.

And we see the ongoing provocations in Donbas and the different false flag operations where they tried to create a pretext for an attack. And then of course we saw last night that further Russian troops moved into Donbas, into parts of Donetsk and Luhansk.

And then we have the threatening rhetoric, which was actually confirmed in the speech of President Putin yesterday.

Stoltenberg goes on to insist it’s “never too late” for Russia not to attack.

We continue to call on Russia to step back, to de-escalate, and to engage in good faith in diplomatic efforts to find a political solution.

Updated

Russia's upper house grants Putin's request to deploy troops outside Russia

Russia’s upper house of parliament has unanimously voted this afternoon in favour of giving Putin the authority to deploy Russia’s armed forces abroad for what it described as a “peacekeeping mission” in two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine.

The vote formally allows Putin to send troops into the Donbas region of Ukraine.

The decision takes immediate effect, one of the lawmakers said as they discussed the motion.

Updated

Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, speaking at a news briefing in Brussels, continues:

We commend Ukraine for its restraint in not responding to Russia’s repeated provocations.

He insists that the military alliance will continue to provide Ukraine with “strong political support”.

This is a crisis created by Russia alone.

He commends Ukraine for its “restraint” in not responding to Russia’s “repeated provocations”, adding that Nato is “united in their full support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory integrity”.

We will continue to provide Ukraine with strong political support and allies are providing equipment to help Ukraine defend itself as well as sustained financial support.

Nato is “resolute and united in its determination to protect and defend all allies”, he adds.

Updated

Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, describes the Ukraine crisis as “the most dangerous moment for European security in a generation”.

Stoltenberg is speaking at a news conference in Brussels:

Moscow has moved from covert attempts to destabilise Ukraine to overt military action.

He adds the move was a “serious escalation by Russia and a flagrant violation of international law”.

Updated

Putin asks Russia's parliament to approve use of forces abroad

Vladimir Putin has asked legislators for permission to use force outside Russia, which could pave the way for a broader attack on Ukraine, AP reports.

The Russian president asked the upper house of parliament for permission to use Russia’s armed forces abroad after formally recognising two eastern Ukrainian regions, the chamber’s speaker said.

Addressing the chamber during a part of an evening session that was broadcast on the chamber’s website, one of Russia’s deputy defence ministers said that Russia had been left with no choice, and asked to approve a deployment abroad.

Updated

The US president, Joe Biden, will deliver remarks at 7pm UK time (2pm ET) to provide an update on the situation concerning Russia and Ukraine, the White House has said.

From Lauren Gambino, our US political correspondent:

Updated

Ukraine is cautiously optimistic that its allies are finally listening to Kyiv about the need to impose sanctions on Russia, the Ukrainian foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said.

Speaking at a briefing, Kuleba said he would have more talks with US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, and that separately he had contacted the UK and other countries with additional requests for weapons.

Kuleba separately welcomed the move by Germany to put the certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on hold, tweeting that it was a “morally, politically and practically correct step”.

Updated

Human Rights Watch has highlighted Russia’s track record for bombing civilian infrastructure in Syria’s conflict and voiced fear “war crimes strategy” could be repeated in Ukraine if the conflict escalates further, AFP reports.

HRW chief, Kenneth Roth, warned the region could “be on the verge of a significant armed conflict” and that given Russia’s recent behaviour during Syria’s civil war, that was a deeply worrying prospect.

Speaking to reporters during a video briefing, Roth said the Syrian government and its Russian ally “showed callous disregard” for civilian life in late 2020 as they strived to retake the Idlib province and surrounding areas in northwest Syria.

The nearly year-long Idlib bombing campaign “gives us a sense of the way the Russian military has been fighting recently”, Roth said, adding that Russian bombers were “deliberately attacking civilian institutions to try to make life unlivable and make it easier for the Syrian military to roll in”.

During this time, he said, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, “had command responsibility”, and had given top honours to the “commanders who were overseeing this war crimes strategy”.

Roth said:

We are deeply concerned that this war crimes strategy (could) be replicated in the case of Ukraine should armed conflict break out there.

Updated

The Kremlin regrets Germany’s suspension of certification of the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline project, designed to double the flow of Russian gas direct to Germany, Interfax news agency reported, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

The Kremlin hopes the delay of Nord Stream 2 is temporary, Interfax quoted Peskov as saying on Tuesday.

(Via Reuters)

More from Shaun on that apparent decision from Turkish Airlines ...

Updated

Updated

The White House has begun referring to Russian troop deployments in eastern Ukraine as an “invasion”, AP reports.

Several European leaders said earlier in the day that Russian troops had moved into rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after Putin recognised their independence – but some indicated it was not yet the long-feared, full-fledged invasion.

The White House, which had been reluctant to use the word “invasion”, signalled a shift in its own position on Tuesday.

“We think this is, yes, the beginning of an invasion, Russia’s latest invasion into Ukraine,” said Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser. He said “latest” was important. “An invasion is an invasion and that is what is under way.”

The White House decided to begin referring to Russia’s actions as an “invasion” because of the situation on the ground, according to a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The administration resisted initially calling the deployment of troops because the White House wanted to see what Russia was actually going to do. After assessing Russian troop movements, it became clear it was a new invasion, the official added.

Updated

Ben Wallace, the UK defence secretary, wrapped up the Joint Expeditionary Force conference of 10 European defence ministers in Britain – mostly from the Baltic and Nordic countries – with a challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s view of history:

If you want to know what his next intentions are, I recommend you listen to his latest speech that he made last night, full of huge inaccuracies, one of them is that Ukraine is not a proper state.

I should remind people Ukraine has been separate to Russia as a nation longer than it’s been part of Russia. That’s a simple fact of history. You should look at the history books and not selectively pick dates that suit the narrative.

The conference, held in Belvoir Castle, wrapped up a couple of hours earlier in response to the Ukraine crisis, with all 10 defence ministers “united in our condemnation” of Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk, “the buildup of Russian forces on the border with Ukraine, and further incursion in the Donbas region”.

Ben Wallace addresses media at the meeting of the defence ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force nations to reaffirm their solidarity and cooperation amid the elevated security concerns, at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire.
Ben Wallace addresses media at the meeting of the defence ministers of the Joint Expeditionary Force nations to reaffirm their solidarity and cooperation amid the elevated security concerns, at Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire. Photograph: Jacob King/PA

Updated

Navalny not holding back here, as Shaun points out.

Jessica Elgot, the Guardian’s chief political correspondent, on the disappointment with which the UK government’s sanctions package has been met.

Updated

The UN human rights chief has warned that a military escalation in Ukraine would significantly increase the risk of serious violations, AFP reports.

Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that she was “deeply concerned” following Putin’s decision to recognise the independence of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk separatist republics.

“Any significant escalation in military action creates a heightened risk of serious human rights violations as well as violations of international humanitarian law,” Bachelet said.

The UN high commissioner for human rights stressed that “at this critical juncture, the priority, above all, must be to prevent a further escalation, and to prevent civilian casualties, displacement and destruction of civilian infrastructure”.

“I call on all sides to cease hostilities and to pave the way for dialogue instead of setting the stage for further violence,” she added.

The UN rights agency, she said, would “continue to monitor the situation closely from our offices on both sides of the contact line in the east of the country”.

Updated

Or, as Shaun Walker puts it …

Updated

It appears the US embassy in Kyiv is engaging in some Moscow baiting …

Updated

Vladimir Putin’s angry and rambling hour-long potted history of Ukraine’s failings on Monday night, culminating in a commitment to recognise the self-proclaimed republics in Donetsk and Luhansk, left western diplomats scratching their heads and wondering whether they had been made redundant.

The European Union is set to activate an EU cyber response team to help Ukraine face Russian attacks, Lithuania’s deputy defence minister, Margiris Abukevicius, tweeted.

On Monday, the Ukrainian foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia had been using hybrid tactics to “escalate the situation”.

Updated

Russian-backed separatist leader Denis Pushilin said on Tuesday that Moscow formally recognised the breakaway region of Donetsk within the wider boundaries of eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, much of which is controlled by Ukrainian forces.

Speaking on Russian state television, Pushilin said the matter of the territory not controlled by separatists would be resolved later.

“The border issue is not simple, it will be resolved later,” he said.

(Via Reuters)

Vehicles carrying Russian flags are pictured in central Donetsk.
Vehicles carrying Russian flags are pictured in central Donetsk. Photograph: Alexander Ryumin/TASS

Updated

A little explanation from our central and eastern Europe correspondent, Shaun Walker, on what this matters:

The territory currently controlled by the so-called people’s republics is less than half of the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but both entities claim sovereignty over the whole regions. In the summer of 2014, the Ukrainian army took back control over many towns that had initially been seized by Russia-backed separatists. If Russia recognises the territories in those borders, it raises the threat of a potential military campaign to retake them.

Russia has announced recognition of two new republics inside Ukraine’s borders, but Putin’s spokesman won’t define how big they are.

The UK has imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three high net-worth individuals.

Prime minister Boris Johnson is speaking to parliament now. He says this is just the “first tranche” and there will be more.

Boris Johnson announces sanctions on Russia
Boris Johnson announcing sanctions on Russia Photograph: Parliament TV

Updated

More details from our Brussels bureau chief Daniel Boffey on possible EU sanctions:

Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, presidents of the European council and commission in Brussels, have issued a statement that for the first time sketches out the areas in which the EU wants to hit Russia with sanctions.

The proposals will need to garner unanimous support from the member states whose foreign ministers are meeting this afternoon.

The two EU institutional leaders suggest that the bloc is prepared to go further than expected, given that Josep Borrell, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, had earlier suggested the Russian move into the Donbas was not a “fully fledged invasion”.

They say that the package contains the following proposals:

  • to target those who were involved in the illegal decision.
  • to target banks that are financing Russian military and other operations in those territories.
  • to target the ability of the Russian state and government to access the EU’s capital and financial markets and services, to limit the financing of escalatory and aggressive policies.
  • to target trade from the two Russian-controlled territories to and from the EU, to ensure that those responsible clearly feel the economic consequences of their illegal and aggressive actions.

Updated

UK prime minister Boris Johnson will speak in parliament imminently. He is expected to announce the “first barrage of UK economic sanctions against Russia”.

Readers: You can follow the speech on the Guardian’s UK politics live blog.

We are not expecting to see Russia’s parliament act against Putin, but for completionist sake, the upper house of parliament just voted unanimously to approve friendship treaties with two self-proclaimed people’s republics in eastern Ukraine.

Yesterday I interviewed Oleh Synehubov, the governor of the Ukrainian municipality of Kharkiv.

We spoke in the Stalin-era regional administration building in the centre of the city. Kharkiv is a city of nearly 1.5 million people – mainly Russian-speaking – and sits just across the border from Russia.

I asked him what the plans were in the event of a Russian invasion. He told me that at the first sign of “anomalous” activity at the border he would be called into the office and an operation would start to warn citizens of a Russian attack.

He said:

There is a clear plan of action. To start with there will be warning signals for all citizens. There will be television, radio and internet announcements, messages to mobile phones, sirens will sound, patrol cars and fire engines will go through the city with loudspeakers to tell people what to do.

Special measures would be taken at military sites and other strategic locations, and special efforts would be made to evacuate places such as care homes and schools, he added.

The exact plan – whether the orders to people were to find the nearest bomb shelter, or whether an evacuation would be instigated – would depend on the kind of invasion, he said.

If it’s an artillery attack, then it’s clear everyone has to go to bomb shelters, if it’s a full-scale invasion then we are already in a zone of military action and there would be an evacuation.

“I hope that we will not have to put this plan into action,” he told me, adding that the local parliament had a regular week of work, including reviewing the annual budget on Thursday.

Updated

Today so far

Here’s a quick recap of developments so far today:

  • Germany’s chancellor says he won’t certify a key gas pipeline from Russia as the situation has “fundamentally changed” after Putin ordered troops over Ukraine’s border.
  • The UK government believes the Russian invasion of Ukraine has already begun. The health minister, Sajid Javid, says it is clear Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine.
  • The west has struggled to maintain unity in response to the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine as the UK and the EU prepared to unveil the scale and scope of the sanctions to be imposed on the Kremlin.
  • Moscow is sending mixed signals about whether it will seek to conquer more territory in east Ukraine. Donetsk and Luhansk claim they should have more territory – but so far it’s unclear whether Moscow is recognising the existing borders or the area they want to control.

Updated

UK government reminding all Britons to leave Ukraine now ...

The United Nations is relocating some of its non-essential staff and their family members in Ukraine, AFP reports.

“We are committed to staying and to continue delivering in Ukraine, especially in eastern Ukraine,” UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told reporters in Geneva. We continue to be fully operational.”

She acknowledged though that “as a result of the evolving situation on the ground, we have allowed for temporary relocation of some non-essential staff and some dependents”. The UN has 1,510 staff members in Ukraine, including 149 international staff, Vellucci said.

In all, around 100 staff members are based in the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk. There have been warnings that a scale-up in the conflict could displace millions of people and cause a humanitarian crisis.

The UN refugee agency said on Tuesday that for now it was not seeing any increased movements outside the eastern regions. But “the situation does remain unpredictable,” spokeswoman Shabia Mantoo told reporters in Geneva.

Meanwhile, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA warned that it was seeing reports of increased hostilities in the east of Ukraine, which has been wracked by conflict for eight years already.

Spokesman Jens Laerke said the UN was continuing to follow a humanitarian response plan put in place before the latest escalation in tensions, including most recently sending an aid convoy into the non-government-controlled areas last Friday.

He warned though that even that response lacks funding, stressing that the best preparation for what could possibly be a dramatic increase in needs was to finance the existing aid efforts on the ground.

Updated

We stand united with Ukraine. We will not walk away. We will continue to support you in every possible way.

I praise the Ukrainian leaders who, despite constant provocations, remain calm and express willingness to solve this conflict peacefully.

Russia must end the intolerable provocations and stop fuelling the conflict, which has been ongoing for eight years. Moscow should immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces from Ukraine’s territory and its immediate vicinity.

We strongly condemn all military and hybrid actions against Ukraine. We regret that despite diplomatic efforts, there are no signs of willingness to de-escalate – quite the opposite, [with] the buildup of Russian forces continues, including in Belarus.

I align myself with everyone who wishes we had a way to secure peace through the force of diplomacy and dialogue.

Indeed, it is a decisive moment in European history. President Putin will answer to future generations for his violent actions. As European and western leaders, we also have the responsibility to step up to our values [and] our commitment to a Europe that is united and at peace. We regret every single life lost.

It is our duty to protect our common values and the democracy we all helped to build. A threat to Ukraine is a threat to the security of Europe.

The minimum we can do is to step up our practical support to Ukraine, which Estonia has done and will continue to do. In the EU, we will deliver on a massive package of sanctions and do so swiftly and decisively. But most importantly we must keep the door to EU and Nato open for Ukraine and we must have concrete next steps for further cooperation and integration.

We know you will continue to value democracy and remain on the path of reforms. Eventually we will welcome you as the member of the European Union – you belong in Europe.

We support Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. We remain fully committed to the policy of non-recognition of illegal annexation of Ukraine’s territories. Ukraine has a right to defend its borders and independence and we continue helping Ukraine to build its military capabilities to stand against the aggression.

President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis is pictured during his official meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv
President of the Republic of Estonia Alar Karis is pictured during his official meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Kyiv Photograph: Ukrinform/REX/Shutterstock

Updated

Greece, which has a large expatriate community in east Ukraine, says diplomats in the region have been placed on alert to help the 120,000-strong community following the latest developments.

After an emergency meeting of the government’s foreign affairs and defence council (Kysea), Athens insisted that it was “completely synchronised” with its EU and Nato partners, calling Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk a “violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and of the fundamental principles of international law”.

A reinforced consular team in Mariupol, the frontline city where ethnic Greeks are mostly based, was “in a constant state of readiness to provide whatever assistance may be necessary”, the council said in a statement.

As tensions have escalated in eastern Ukraine, the plight of ethnic Greeks living there has been highlighted by Athens, with some analysts going so far as to say that Hellenic naval ships could be dispatched to evacuate community members in the event of a full-blown invasion.

In 2014, Mariupol briefly came under the control of pro-Russian separatist forces in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Greece’s deputy foreign minister in charge of diaspora affairs, Andreas Katsaniotis, told state-run TV this morning that while Greek citizens, such as teachers, living in the region had returned to Athens, ethnic Greek Ukrainians with roots in the area had stayed put as “they have roots there that go back years”.

“We are doing whatever we possibly can to assist them,” said Katsaniotis, adding that diplomats had also appealed to Greek media representatives dispatched to Ukraine to make contact with consular staff.

Addressing a visiting delegation from Bulgaria following the Kysea meeting, the Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, emphasised how important the community was for Athens.

“Our country has an additional reason for concern when following developments,” he said, “The protection and support of ethnic Greeks in Ukraine and the very large community in Mariupol which has been present in the region for over 2,000 years.”

Updated

Moscow is sending mixed signals about whether it will seek to conquer more territory in east Ukraine.

The two Russian-controlled territories in east Ukraine claim that they should control more territory than they currently do. That includes the large city of Mariupol, which is on the government side of the front lines. If Moscow supports their claim, then Russia could launch an attack to capture that territory.

So the key question in Moscow today is whether Russia is recognising the territories’ existing borders – or the territory they would like to control.

Thus far, it’s not clear. A Russian deputy foreign minister gave a direct answer during a press conference that Russia recognises the borders in which those states “exercise their authority and jurisdiction”.

That’s fairly straightforward – Russia supports the status quo.

But then Vladimir Putin’s spokesman answered a similar question. Dmitry Peskov said that the borders are “those in which they exist and were proclaimed”.

Those are different things. The proclaimed borders in 2014 include cities like Mariupol. The current borders do not.

So what’s happening? The ambiguity may be intentional, allowing Vladimir Putin to make his decision on the basis of how the west responds to his formal occupation of Ukrainian territory.

If he needs a new bargaining chip in his negotiations, he could threaten a new war to capture additional territory.

On the other hand, it is possible that many of those speaking just don’t know the answer. Peskov, who was questioned at length by a BBC journalist, said he couldn’t add anything to his talking points.

For their part, the authorities in the Russian-controlled territories have said that they continue to view their borders as the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. If Moscow agrees, then a new war is a likely result.

Updated

Germany has stopped the certification process for the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in reaction to Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk in east Ukraine, chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced.

On Tuesday morning, Germany’s energy minister, Robert Habeck, instructed the withdrawal of a positive assessment required to authorise the pipeline between Russia and Germany.

“Without this certification Nord Stream 2 cannot go into operation,” Scholz said at a press conference in Berlin at midday.

The German leader described Putin’s recognition of the Russian-controlled territories as a “grave breach” of international law that broke with decades of agreements between Russia and the west.

“The situation today is fundamentally different.”

Updated

Ambassadors for the 27 EU member states met this morning in Brussels to discuss the next steps with regard to sanctions against Russia.

Concerning divisions have emerged, diplomatic sources tell me.

The EU’s foreign affairs wing, the European external action service (EEAS), proposed sanctioning 27 persons and entities involved in the Kremlin’s decision to recognise the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk; the 351 members of the Duma who voted in favour of it, and the 11 who proposed it, along with the commanders of the Russian military “peacekeeping” mission.

Viktor Orbán’s government in Hungary has refused to support the move at this stage.

“They stressed the importance of dialogue and wanted to reconvene with [Budapest]”, a diplomat said. “It was to be expected but Orbán has now really shown his true colours. Again, this begs the question where Orbán loyalty is: to Moscow or his European allies? And the question of how much more of this blocking behaviour other leaders can swallow.”

A wider sanctions package is being worked on by the European Commission, mirroring the sanctions imposed at the time of the annexation of Crimea by Russia. This, it is said, will have a strong impact on imports and exports to Russia and Russian banks.

Sources said there were also, however, “some worrying signals regarding the broader sanctions package”.

According to one diplomat, Austria, Germany and Italy stressed the importance of incrementalism. The source said: “This fetish for incremental steps really raises questions on these countries’ willingness to approve the ‘big bang’ sanctions package when we need it.”

It is expected that the EEAS proposal will be finalised or early tomorrow with the commission proposals due to take longer. Any sanctions package requires unanimity.

Updated

German chancellor won't certify key Russian gas pipeline as situation 'fundamentally changed'

Nord Stream 2, the 750-mile pipeline connecting Russia and Germany, has been completed but has not yet certified by Germany’s energy regulator. These words, via my colleague Philip Oltermann, suggest the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has decided to pull the plug on the pipeline because of the Ukraine crisis.

Updated

Here’s Reuters with some more context on reports that Russia recognises the self-proclaimed republics in Luhansk and Donetsk within the borders they currently control.

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, on Tuesday questioned whether Ukraine had a right to sovereignty because he said the government in Kyiv did not represent the country’s constituent parts, the Interfax news agency reported.

“If we talk about the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity, one of the key documents … is the declaration on principles of international law concerning friendly relations among peoples,” he was quoted as saying.

Lavrov accused Ukraine of being out of line with that since 2014 when a Moscow-backed president was overthrown in Kyiv and replaced by a pro-western leader, prompting Russia to annex Ukraine’s peninsula of Crimea and back an insurgency in its eastern regions.

“I don’t think anyone can claim that the Ukrainian regime, since the 2014 coup d’état, represents all the people living on the territory of the Ukrainian state,” Lavrov was quoted as saying.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov looks on during a meeting with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rasit Meredow at the Russian Foreign Ministry
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov looks on during a meeting with Turkmenistan’s Foreign Minister Rasit Meredow at the Russian Foreign Ministry Photograph: Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

Updated

RUSSIA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS RUSSIA RECOGNISES BREAKAWAY UKRAINIAN REPUBLICS WITHIN BORDERS THAT THEY CURRENTLY CONTROL - IFAX (Via Reuters)

My colleague Paul Macinnes reports that Uefa is ready to drop St Petersburg as the venue for this year’s Champions League final as the military crisis in Ukraine deepens.

As Andrew Roth points out (see here), the key question today is whether Russia recognises the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s republics in their existing borders - or claims their 2014 borders. This includes territory controlled by Ukraine.

One possible precedent is Georgia, where Russia fought a five-day war in August 2008. There are ominous parallels. The Kremlin sent troops from breakaway South Ossetia into Georgia “proper”. Vladimir Putin did not ultimately seize the Georgian capital Tbilisi. But he did capture additional territory and restore the old Soviet border of South Ossetia.

This included seizing the town of Akhalgori, where Georgian and South Ossetian residents had previously lived peacefully together under Georgian government control. The operation was simple. Russian troops blocked a mountain road with an armoured vehicle and stationed what it said were “peacekeepers” in Akhalgori’s main square. The town today is under separatist control.

Analysts believe an attempt to repeat Georgia in 2022 would be much harder, and more bloody, and involve a full-scale war with the Ukrainian military.

Updated

Reuters has this on Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling Russia’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk “unacceptable”.

Nato member Turkey is a maritime neighbour with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Erdoğan has offered to mediate in the conflict, warned Russia against invading Ukraine, and criticised the west’s handling of the crisis.

Speaking to reporters on a flight over Africa, Erdoğan said:

We see this decision by Russia as unacceptable. We repeat our call for common sense and respect for international law by all sides.

Italy has condemned Russia’s decision to recognise Russian-controlled territory in Luhansk and Donetsk.

“The decision of the Russian authorities to recognise the so-called separatist republics of Luhansk and Donetsk is to be condemned as a violation of the Minsk agreements,” Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said in a statement.

Di Maio said the decision “represents a serious obstacle in the path towards a diplomatic solution of the Ukrainian crisis”.

He added: “Italy is in constant contact with European and Atlantic partners to coordinate the response to the announcement by the President of the Russian Federation.”

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Donetsk is responding to severe water shortages caused after active hostilities put several water stations and pipelines out of order in eastern Ukraine.

Today it will dispatch 3,000 litres of potable water to Dokuchaevsk hospital to keep services running, and send 7,000 litres of potable water to Donetsk municipality to distribute to essential facilities. The ICRC will also set up five 5,000-litre capacity water points in Olenovka.

The ICRC says its engineers are in close contact with their counterparts at the Voda Donbasa water utility company to get specifications on the equipment needed to restore the activity of the 1st Lift Pumping Station.

My colleague Shaun Walker on one of the Russian foreign ministry’s current lines ...

China has urged all parties on the Ukraine issue to “remain calm, ease tensions and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation”.

The country’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, also told US secretary of state Anthony Blinken in a phone call today that “the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be respected”.

China’s reaction to Russia’s move in Ukraine has been under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks. On 4 February, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin pledged “no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation” in the bilateral relationship.

But Moscow’s manoeuvre in Ukraine clearly posed a headache for Beijing. On the one hand, like Russia, China is frustrated with its deteriorating relations with the US and its allies. On the other hand, however, it does not foresee much diplomatic gain by fully backing Russia on its action in Ukraine.

“The sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of any country should be respected and safeguarded,” Wang told the Munich Security Conference by video link over the weekend. “Ukraine is no exception.”

This from the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, explains the measures the US is taking to protect its diplomatic staff in Ukraine. It also echoes calls for US citizens to get out of Ukraine immediately.

For security reasons, Department of State personnel currently in Lviv will spend the night in Poland. Our personnel will regularly return to continue their diplomatic work in Ukraine and provide emergency consular services. They will continue to support the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government, coordinating on diplomatic efforts …

The fact that we are taking prudent precautions for the sake of the safety of US government personnel and US citizens, as we do regularly worldwide, in no way undermines our support for, or our commitment to, Ukraine. Our commitment to Ukraine transcends any one location.

We strongly reiterate our recommendation to US citizens to depart Ukraine immediately. The security situation in Ukraine continues to be unpredictable throughout the country and may deteriorate with little notice.

Imposing sanctions against Russia is “a question of firmness and credibility”, France’s Europe minister, Clément Beaune, said as he condemned a “grave violation” of international law by Russia.

Beaune, a close ally of French president Emmanuel Macron, is chairing a routine meeting of EU ministers in Brussels that is being overshadowed by the crisis in Ukraine. With EU foreign ministers holding a separate emergency meeting later on Tuesday, he declined to be drawn on the nature of the EU response, saying it was “necessary to respond with sanctions adapted to the situation”.

Finland’s Europe minister, Tytti Tuppurainen, said Putin had made a historic mistake: “His actions are in clear violation of international law and sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity,” she said, vowing a strong and united response from the EU. The EU had prepared sanctions for every scenario, she said. “We have prepared massive sanctions and we are ready to create severe consequences [for] Russia and Putin.”

As diplomats met in Brussels on Tuesday, it remained unclear whether Putin’s order to send troops into Ukraine is the trigger for the massive sanctions the EU has been threatening for weeks. In co-ordinated statements leaders of the EU institutions referred to “sanctions against those involved in this illegal act”, suggesting the first response to Russia’s actions might not be sweeping economic sanctions.

Lithuania continues to urge the EU to move ahead with economic sanctions against Russia. “How we react as the European Union will define our character and indeed the future of Europe,” said Lithuania’s deputy Europe minister Arnoldas Pranckevičius.

He called on Europe to move ahead with economic sanctions, double its support to Ukraine - including boosting the physical presence of political and diplomatic leaders in Kyiv - and to rethink its defence posture in the Baltic region.

Pranckevičius said:

The [EU sanctions] have to be serious, they have to be real, they should not be symbolic. If we want to deter further actions of President Putin, if we indeed want to stop the war from happening, we need to move ahead with serious measures.

Martin Klus, Slovakia’s Europe minister, suggested the EU would start with sanctions against individuals, adding that his country was open to further sanctions against Russia.

Ireland’s Europe minister Thomas Byrne said:

We have got to ensure that whatever happens that Russia certainly feels the pain and that is going to happen. Today what has happened is a grotesque breach of international law, it’s a grotesque breach of the sovereignty of Ukraine.

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has brushed off the threat of sanctions on Tuesday, describing the west’s actions as predictable.

Our European, American, British colleagues will not stop and will not calm down until they have exhausted all their possibilities for the so-called ‘punishment of Russia’.

They are already threatening us with all manner of sanctions or, as they say now, ‘the mother of all sanctions’. Well, we’re used to it. We know that sanctions will be imposed anyway, in any case. With or without reason.

(Via Reuters)

Updated

Russia’s decision to recognise two self-proclaimed regions in eastern Ukraine means the Kremlin has taken another step towards the revival of the Soviet Union, Ukraine’s defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said on Tuesday:

The Kremlin has taken another step towards the revival of the Soviet Union. With the new Warsaw Pact and the new Berlin Wall.

(Via Reuters)

Updated

One of the big questions today will be whether the incursion of Russian troops into eastern Ukraine will spell the end of Nord Stream 2, the pipeline between Russia and Germany that poses an obvious target for sanctions.

Following a phone call with US president Joe Biden and France’s Emanuel Macron last night, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, harshly condemned Russia’s actions as “a clear breach of the Minsk Protocol”, vowing that “this step will not remain unanswered”.

But so far Germany’s government has not yet said what its answer will entail.

Scholz’s Social Democrat party colleague Michael Roth, the chair of the Bundestag’s foreign policy committee, has called for swift sanctions targeted at “the oligarchic system, the people who have become rich through Putin”.

Roth told Reuters: “The first sanctions already have to be painful for the Putin system.”

The SPD party group’s foreign policy spokesperson, Nils Schmid, warned any reaction to the breach of the Minsk protocol should not affect Germany’s restrictive stance on exporting lethal weapons.

“We should not deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine”, Schmid said.
The far-right Alternative für Deutschland, meanwhile, wants the German government to rule out any sanctions whatsoever, since these would lead to “further escalation”.

Instead, it proposes an independence referendum in Donetsk and Luhansk, “such as has been carried out in western European states like Scotland”.

Updated

Ben Wallace, the UK defence secretary, said that Russia had “broken international law” by unilaterally recognising the self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

Ukraine, he added, was a sovereign state that had had land “effectively annexed” from it as Russian troops appeared to be entering the separatist regions overnight.

The cabinet minister was speaking at the opening of a day-long meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force, a forum of 10 European defence ministers from the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.

It was a “clear fact that Russia has broken international law,” Wallace said.

He added:

Many of us were forewarning that President Putin already had an agenda. You heard that agenda in his speech last night. This is a sovereign state that has now had some of its land effectively annexed from it. This is a sovereign state that is a democratic state in Europe, all of us in Europe should worry.

Updated

Frans Timmermans, the former Dutch foreign minister who is now vice-president of the European commission, has described today as “no doubt one of the darkest days of European history”.

Speaking in Paris at the EU Indo-Pacific forum, he said:

Russia is no longer the power to dominate, therefore chooses to disrupt. And our reaction to that behaviour is going to determine not just the security of Europe, it is going to determine global security for the years to come.

That is why I believe we need to answer this blatant act of disregard for the rule of law and for international law with increased resolve to increase our cooperation across the globe, and especially also with the Indo-Pacific.

Meanwhile, the Belgian prime minister, Alexander De Croo, has said the EU should “hit Russia where it hurts.”

He added:

Russia is doing what it always wanted to do, take a piece of territory of Ukraine. We will respond in an appropriate way to what is happening here. It has to be appropriate sanctions, we have to keep a cool head, but we have to show that this leads to a high cost for Russia.

EU foreign ministers will decide on the level of sanctions this afternoon.

Britain will immediately impose hard economic sanctions on Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, Boris Johnson has said.

We will immediately institute a package of economic sanctions. This is, I should stress, just the first barrage of UK economic sanctions against Russia, because we expect I’m afraid that there is more Russian irrational behaviour to come … [The sanctions] will hit Russia very hard, and there is a lot more that we are going to do in the event of an invasion.

Johnson said he would set out the sanctions in the House of Commons, probably at around 1230 GMT.

The sanctions, Johnson said, would be “targeted not just at entities in Donbas and Luhansk and Donetsk, but in Russia itself – targeting Russian economic interests as hard as we can”.

Britain has threatened to cut off Russian companies’ access to US dollars and British pounds, blocking them from raising capital in London and to expose what Johnson calls the “Russian doll” of property and company ownership.

Britain has not yet spelled out who would fall under the sanctions, but has pledged that there would be nowhere for Russian oligarchs to hide. Johnson has said targets could include Russian banks.

Hundreds of billions of dollars have flowed into London and Britain’s overseas territories from Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and London has become the western city of choice for the super-wealthy of Russia and other former Soviet republics.

Putin will find he has “gravely miscalculated”, Johnson said, adding that Moscow appeared to be bent on a full-scale invasion of its former Soviet neighbour.

Johnson chaired a meeting of Britain’s national emergency security committee early on Tuesday. Speaking afterwards, he said:

I think that the tragedy of the present situation is that President Putin has surrounded himself with like-minded advisors who tell him that Ukraine is not a proper country. And I think that he is going to find that he has gravely miscalculated.

(Via Reuters)

Updated

In his BBC interview, Sajid Javid also said the current situation could be compared to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

I do think it’s as serious a situation as that. There is still an opportunity here for President Putin to step back, despite him having now chosen confrontation over dialogue. It is not too late for him to step back and bring his troops back into Russia and open dialogue.

But we have to be realistic – clearly that does not seem his intent, certainly at this point in time, and we have to respond very significantly. This is a real test for the west as well.

(Via PA Media)

Updated

The US briefed a week ago that, unlike during the 2014 invasion of Ukraine, sanctions this time would start at the top of the ladder and stay there, rather than be gradually escalated.

Last week, Boris Johnson said sanctions would be implemented as soon as one Russian toe-cap crossed into Ukrainian-held territory. But the reality is proving different, partly due to Vladimir Putin’s step-by-step tactics.

The US was briefing that sanctions will probably go wider later today than those intended to cover trade and investment in the two breakaway Republics announced on Monday night. Putin, however, has not yet done enough to justify the big bazooka package. Similarly, Johnson made clear this morning he is not planning to let loose all his firepower when he makes a statement to MPs today.

There look to be two reasons. So far, the Russian “peacekeepers” have not gone beyond the borders of the territory currently held by the Russian supporting forces within the two Republics. The borders of the territories that Russia is preparing to recognise are unclear.

Sajid Javid has said the invasion of Ukraine has begun. He may be right – but so far the invasion to which he is referring occurred in 2014.

But there is a second reason for restraint. The EU is privately struggling to get agreement on the trigger point for its sanctions, which will be announced as early as this afternoon. The bloc will not unleash everything in its locker – hence the call between Joe Biden and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, on Monday evening.

Even now – despite the fact that a full-scale invasion is the overwhelming likelihood – some European leaders are looking for diplomatic routes out.

If there are no exits, it will turn into a battle between the banks – western financial firepower – and the tanks, Russian’s military hardware.

Updated

Russia’s legislature is expected to rubberstamp the Kremlin’s decision to recognise the self-proclaimed territories in Luhansk and Donetsk on Tuesday, paving the way for Russian troops to formally occupy Ukrainian territory in what they call a “peacekeeping mission”.

But a key question remains: In what borders will Russia recognise its two proxy territories? The fine print could determine whether Vladimir Putin is preparing to launch a broader invasion in Ukraine.

Both of the Russian-backed territories lay claim to Ukrainian territories that are not currently under their control. For instance, the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic has said that it should control the city of Mariupol, which is firmly on the Ukrainian side of the line of conflict.

If Russia recognises those larger territorial ambitions, then under the terms of the treaty Putin signed with the territories yesterday, it would imply a further war of conquest backed by Russia is to come.

Andrei Kortunov, the director general of the Russian International Affairs Council, said:

The open question is what particular borders they’re going to defend. The question is whether these newly recognised republics might have territorial claims … that might constitute a casus belli.

If we assume that Russia is not interested in a big war in Ukraine – because that would definitely mean a war – then we can assume the ball is in the Western court.

In Kortunov’s thinking, Putin may wait before sending large numbers of troops into the territories in order to gauge the Western response:

The West needs to decide how it is going to react - what kind of sanctions and what will happen to the political dialogue between Moscow and Western capitals?

Some western analysts believe that Russia’s massive buildup of more than 190,000 troops near the borders of Ukraine indicates that Putin plans on more than just a recognition of the two territories.

According to Michael Kofman of the CNA thinktank:

Russia doesn’t need 190k troops on Ukraine’s borders to recognize the independence of separatist republics. These troops are not even near the Donbas. This is the first step in what will likely be a large-scale Russian [military] operation to impose regime change.

The decision to recognise the territories also will likely scuttle the Minsk agreements, a peace deal that Moscow hoped to use as leverage to force Ukraine into imposing unpopular political decisions about the conflict.

Russia appeared to be leaving the question of the borders open on Tuesday morning before the parliament sessions. Leonid Kalashnikov, an MP, initially told Russian media the Duma would recognise the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) as the territories recognised at “referendums” in 2014.

“This agreement does not specify [the borders], but I think it means statehood, which was approved in the old and only referendum that was held in other borders than those currently occupied by the DPR,” Kalashnikov told reporters on Tuesday, answering a question from Interfax.

“How these borders will be restored is not provided for in this agreement. How they will be restored is not our competence,” said Kalashnikov, the head of the a Duma committee that manages issues dealing with ex-Soviet countries.

But he soon clarified his remarks, which many took to imply a coming war, saying that they were just his “personal opinion”.

In his speech on Monday, Putin appeared to be setting the stage for Russian claims to far more than just the Donbas regions:

From those who have seized and are holding power in Kyiv, we demand an immediate cessation of hostilities. Otherwise, the entire responsibility for the possible continuation of the bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine.

Updated

Didier Reynders, the European commissioner for justice, has said that while Russia’s move is an “act of war”, the large-scale sanctions package prepared in Brussels in the event of an invasion of Ukraine will be imposed gradually.

Speaking to Belgian media, Reynders said that the first punitive measures would be travel bans against individuals, adding that this could be followed by the seizing of assets in Europe and abroad.

Reynders said that in time, depending on developments, it “will be necessary to ensure that there are no more imports of goods or services from Russia, such as energy, and that Russia’s global access to financial services is terminated”.

He added: “Everything is on the table.”

Updated

The UK health secretary, Sajid Javid, has just been interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said that while the government has ruled out military action, it is ready to impose sanctions:

We have already, as a leading member of Nato, played a significant role in shoring up and protecting Nato members and that will certainly continue. We have ruled out any forces or military action by soldiers in Ukraine itself. The defence secretary has been clear on that but in terms of support for Ukraine in other ways, including support through military equipment and arms, that will continue.

Asked whether it was time to impose sanctions on oligarchs close to Putin who own property in the UK, send their children to British schools and who have funded the Conservative party, Javid said:

I think it is. The prime minister has already actually been clear on this – that if Russia were to violate the territorial integrity – the sovereignty – of Ukraine, we wouldn’t hesitate to act. That of course means sanctions …

That action in terms of sanctions will almost certainly include action against any individuals, and, for that matter, any companies or businesses, or any other entities, that are linked to the Russian state that have any kind of significant economic influence in Russia. But also I’m sure that we’ll consider what sectors in the Russian economy we can target as well.

Updated

A clear division has become apparent between the UK and the EU over the presence of Russian troops in the Donbas region of Ukraine.

While the health secretary, Sajid Javid, has said the presence of troops is evidence that the invasion of Ukraine has already begun, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, was more cautious when talking in Paris this morning.

It was not, to his mind, he said, a “fully fledged invasion”. The comments reflect the nervousness in some EU capitals – including Paris and Berlin – at hitting Moscow too early with the full “unprecedented” package of sanctions prepared over recent weeks and being left without any further leverage over the Kremlin.

In contrast, EU member states in the Baltics argue that Putin will only taunt the bloc with incremental incursions that have the appearance of falling shy of the threshold for the “massive costs and severe consequences” threatened by the bloc over a military invasion. Those EU governments argue that it will be death to Ukraine by a thousand cuts if the bloc prevaricates.

Updated

The UK health secretary, Sajid Javid, has just been interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said that while the government has ruled out military action, it is ready to impose sanctions:

We have already, as a leading member of Nato, played a significant role in shoring up and protecting Nato members and that will certainly continue. We have ruled out any forces or military action by soldiers in Ukraine itself. The defence secretary has been clear on that but in terms of support for Ukraine in other ways, including support through military equipment and arms, that will continue.

Asked whether it was time to impose sanctions on oligarchs close to Putin who own property in the UK, send their children to British schools and who have funded the Conservative party, Javid said:

I think it is. The prime minister has already actually been clear on this - that if Russia were to violate the territorial integrity - the sovereignty - of Ukraine, we wouldn’t hesitate to act. That of course means sanctions …

That action in terms of sanctions will almost certainly include action against any individuals, and, for that matter, any companies or businesses, or any other entities, that are linked to the Russian state that have any kind of significant economic influence in Russia. But also I’m sure that we’ll consider what sectors in the Russian economy we can target as well.

The EU’s foreign affairs high representative, Josep Borrell, has said he will call an extraordinary meeting today where EU foreign ministers will adopt sanctions against Russia over its recognition of Ukrainian separatist regions and further deployment of troops on Ukraine territory.

“I’m sure there will be a unanimous decision”, he said.

There are differences in opinion within the EU as to the strength of the package that will be imposed on Russia at this stage, with Borrell suggesting this morning that Russia had not, as yet, launched a “fully fledged” invasion although its troops were on Ukrainian soil.

Borrell said a text on sanctions would be drafted this morning and a decision would be made this afternoon by ministers.

I cannot go into the details. The Russian troops have entered into Donbas. We consider Donbas as part of Ukraine. I wouldn’t say that is a fully fledged invasion but Russian troops are on Ukrainian soil.”

Updated

Amnesty International has just put out these lines from the organisation’s secretary general, Agnès Callamard:

After weeks of fruitless negotiations, the protection of civilians in Ukraine must now be the absolute priority.

While the potential for full-blown conflict is now a devastating reality, every effort must be made to minimise civilian suffering and prioritise humanity in this crisis. It is a legal obligation of all parties to do so.

We urge all parties to adhere strictly to international humanitarian and human rights law. They must ensure the protection of civilian lives and refrain from indiscriminate attacks and the use of prohibited weapons such as cluster munitions. We also call on all parties to allow and facilitate access of humanitarian agencies to provide assistance to civilians affected by hostilities.

Amnesty International will be monitoring the situation closely to expose violations of international law by all parties.”

Updated

In case you missed it last night, this analysis piece from Shaun Walker is well worth a read:

Sitting alone at a desk in a grand, columned Kremlin room, Vladimir Putin looked across an expanse of parquet floor at his security council and asked if anyone wished to express an alternative opinion.

He was met with silence …

Updated

EU member states’ ambassadors will meet on Tuesday morning to discuss possible sanctions against Russia in response to its formal recognition of two breakaway regions of Ukraine, with limited sanctions a possible option, an EU official said.

An EU diplomat said separately that the meeting would be an “information point” for the envoys, but would also consider how to act on the statement made by EU leaders on Monday that the bloc would “react with sanctions against those involved in this illegal act”.

The EU official said some member states wanted sanctions to be limited in response to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s move on eastern Ukraine, while others want to see the full range of sanctions that have been discussed in recent weeks to be rolled out now.

The official said there may be a meeting of EU leaders to discuss the bloc’s response, but a decision on this has not yet been taken.

(Via Reuters)

Updated

Meanwhile, in the markets ...

The mood in Kyiv is concerned but defiant. MP Serhii Rakhmanin described the recognition of Russian controlled-regions of Eastern Ukraine as independent states “an act of aggression, and Putin’s speech a “de facto call for war”.

He added:

Military escalation, especially in the Donbas, is becoming almost inevitable. It has not happened yet, but the level of threat has changed from orange to red.

He called on the government to mobilise reservists, increase the defence budget, consider cutting diplomatic relations with Russia, and impose martial law in regions claimed by Russia. Rakhmanin said Western countries needed to bring in the toughest possible sanctions, send military aid to Ukraine, and consider an urgent economic rescue package for an economy hobbled by the threat of war.

On social media Tuesday morning Ukrainians criticised US sanctions, which directly target the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine, as too limited in scope.

A little more on Sajid Javid’s comments, via PA Media.

The health secretary told Sky News:

We are waking up to a very dark day in Europe and it’s clear from what we have already seen and found out today that the Russians, President Putin, has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity.

We have seen that he has recognised these breakaway eastern regions in Ukraine and from the reports we can already tell that he has sent in tanks and troops.

From that you can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Updated

Good morning. Sam Jones here, taking over the blog from my colleague Samantha Lock.

Before I handover to my colleague, Sam Jones, here is a rundown of developments overnight:

  • British prime minister Boris Johnson is chairing a Cobra meeting this morning to “coordinate the UK response”, including agreeing to a “significant package of sanctions to be introduced immediately”, PA Media reports, citing a Downing Street spokesperson.
  • UK health minister Sajid Javid says it is clear Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and believes an invasion has already begun, Reuters reports.
  • Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed by shelling overnight and 12 more were injured, according to Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation situation report published this morning.
  • The UK is also set to announce new sanctions on Russia today after foreign secretary Liz Truss said Putin’s actions could not be allowed to go “unpunished”.
  • Downing Street also said Boris Johnson told Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy that he would “explore sending further defensive support to Ukraine” at the request of the country’s government.
  • Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs issued a statement condemning Russia’s decision to recognise the Luhansk and Donetsk regions as independent states. The ministry says the decision has “no legal implications” and “sharply escalates the situation”.
  • Ukraine’s defence minister said his country is “ready and able” to defend itself from Russia and says the world cannot be silent.
  • Meanwhile, Russia’s representative to the United Nations has reiterated its combative stance, saying Ukraine “is on the verge of a new military adventure” in a tweet on Tuesday morning local time.
  • UN security council members condemned Russia’s actions in an extraordinary war of words as representatives from the US, the UK, France, Germany, India, Ireland, the UAE, Kenya and Ghana all emphatically urged peace and diplomacy in a bid to avert war in Ukraine.
  • The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, dismissed Putin’s assertion that the Russian troops heading into the separatist regions of Ukraine would take on a “peacekeeping” role.
  • Ukraine’s president used a televised address in the early hours of Tuesday to accuse Russia of wrecking peace talks and has ruled out making any territorial concessions. Zelenskiy added Ukraine was committed to peace and diplomacy.

If you’d like to read even more developments, we posted a summary earlier here.

Updated

Russian state Duma deputy Leonid Kalashnikov, who chairs the Duma’s committee on post-Soviet affairs, said that Russia will recognise the independence of the whole of Donetsk and Luhanks regions in eastern Ukraine, according to Moscow Times reporter Pjotr Sauer.

Currently, only one-third of the territories is controlled by the Russian-backed separatists.

Updated

Invasion of Ukraine has begun, UK health secretary says

UK health minister Sajid Javid says it is clear Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and believes an invasion has already begun, Reuters reports.

We are waking up to a very dark day in Europe and it’s clear from what we have already seen and found out today that the Russians, President Putin, has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity.”

The health secretary told Sky News:

We have seen that he has recognised these breakaway eastern regions in Ukraine and from the reports we can already tell that he has sent in tanks and troops.

From that you can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Javid added that Boris Johnson will make a statement to parliament today on Ukraine.

We will have more on this story as it develops.

Updated

Two Ukrainian soldiers killed by shelling overnight, defence ministry reports

Two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed by shelling overnight and 12 more were injured, according to Ukraine’s Joint Forces Operation situation report published this morning.

The report says Ukraine recorded 84 violations over the past 24 hours from Russia-backed forces, 64 of which were using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements.

As a result of the shelling, two Ukrainian service personnel died from shrapnel wounds while 12 service personnel were injured and are receiving treatment, Ukraine’s ministry of defence added.

Updated

South Korea’s foreign ministry has joined the ranks of other countries to voice its “grave concern” over the Ukraine crisis and called for related nations to respect the Minsk agreement while finding a diplomatic solution, the Associated Press reports.

Ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam made the remarks during a briefing on Tuesday, reiterating President Moon Jae-in’s comments during an earlier national security meeting.

Our government has consistently supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and the preservation of its territory.

Our government strongly calls for related nations to pursue peaceful resolutions based on respect for international law and the Minsk agreement.”

Choi was referring to a 2015 ceasefire arrangement signed between Russia and Ukraine at the Belarusian capital following months of bloody conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Updated

One of the standout submissions to the United Nation’s emergency security council meeting earlier was delivered by Kenyan representative Martin Kimani.

Video of Kimani’s emphatic plea to Russia to pursue diplomacy and not conflict can be viewed below.

This situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of empire. Our borders were not of our own drawing.

Today across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep bonds.

The UK is also set to announce new sanctions on Russia today after foreign secretary Liz Truss said Putin’s actions could not be allowed to go “unpunished”.

The sanctions will be in response to Russia’s “breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” she said.

The foreign secretary added that she had spoken to Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, following “Russia’s latest assault on Ukrainian sovereignty”.

We agreed (the UK) and (the EU) will coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Putin’s regime and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.

Financial markets in London, Europe and the US are braced for a tough day of trading after the mounting crisis in Ukraine inflicted big losses on stocks in Asia Pacific on Tuesday.

The broad MSCI Asia index, excluding Japan, was down more than 2% in its worst day for a month. The Nikkei shed 1.7%, Seoul was off 1.4% and the ASX in Sydney closed down 1% as investors worried about the possibility of conflict.

The Russian rouble is falling steeply.
The Russian rouble is falling steeply. Photograph: Alexey Malgavko/Reuters

Safe havens such as gold rallied. Brent crude oil, a global benchmark for Russia’s main export, was up 2% at $97.30 a barrel.

Hong Kong was worst hit, down 3%, with tech stocks especially affected in the wake of another crackdown on the sector by Beijing. Bitcoin fell 6% to $36,826, while the Russian rouble sank to a more than 15-month low.

That all paves the way for some heavy losses on the European indices as indicated by futures trade:

New York is also set for losses later on Tuesday:

Updated

UK may send further defensive support to Ukraine

Downing Street also said Johnson told Ukraine’s President Zelenskiy that he would “explore sending further defensive support to Ukraine” at the request of the country’s government.

A spokesperson told PA Media:

He told President Zelenskiy that the UK had already drawn up sanctions to target those complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, and that those measures would come into force tomorrow.

The prime minister also said he would explore sending further defensive support to Ukraine, at the request of the Ukrainian government.

Updated

Meanwhile, Downing Street said Johnson outlined his “grave concern at recent developments in the region” in a call with the Ukrainian president on Monday evening, PA Media reports.

The prime minister strongly condemned the Kremlin’s decision today to recognise Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, and said the move made the Minsk agreements and process unworkable.

Johnson added that the UK was already engaging with partners on the issue and said the UK would raise it at the United Nations Security Council and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in the coming days.

British prime minister Boris Johnson is moments away from chairing a Cobra meeting this morning to “coordinate the UK response”, including agreeing to a “significant package of sanctions to be introduced immediately”, PA media reports citing to a Downing Street spokesperson.

Johnson earlier told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he believes a Russian invasion is “a real possibility in the coming hours and days”, No 10 said.

A No 10 spokesperson said on Monday evening: “The Prime Minister will chair a COBR at 0630 tomorrow morning to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine and to coordinate the UK response including agreeing a significant package of sanctions to be introduced immediately.”

It comes after foreign secretary Liz Truss said the UK will announce new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday “in response to their breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs has just issued an official statement condemning Russia’s decision to recognise the Luhansk and Donetsk regions as independent states.

The ministry says the decision has “no legal implications” and “sharply escalates the situation”.

The statement released on Tuesday morning reads:

The Ukrainian side understands Russia’s intentions and its objective to provoke Ukraine. We are taking into account all the risks and not giving in to the provocations as we remain committed to politico-diplomatic settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict.”

Updated

Ukraine’s defence minister says his country is “ready and able” to defend itself from Russia and says the world cannot be silent.

“Sanctions? Another brick in the wall? New Berlin Wall?” Oleksii Reznikov tweeted Tuesday morning local time.

We’ve now got video of the US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, calling Putin’s claims “nonsense”.

UN security council members condemn Russia's actions

For those just joining our live coverage now, here is a summary of what was exchanged during the United Nations emergency security council meeting which wrapped up just hours ago.

It was an extraordinary war of words as representatives from the United States, the UK, France, Germany, India, Ireland, the UAE, Kenya and Ghana all emphatically urged peace and diplomacy in a bid to avert war in Ukraine.

Addressing the session, US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield cast doubt on Putin’s assertion that the Russian troops would take on a “peacekeeping” role in the Donetsk and Lugansk areas.

He calls them peacekeepers. This is nonsense. We know what they really are.

Referring to Putin’s recent allegations, the ambassador said his words amounted to a “series of outrageous, false claims” that were aimed at “creating a pretext for war.”

Putin wants to travel back to a time when empires ruled the world. This is not 1919,” she added.

The UK’s permanent representative to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, highlighted the humanitarian impact of a possible invasion.

The actions Russia has chosen today will have severe and far-reaching consequences. First, to human life. An invasion of Ukraine unleashes the forces of war, death and destruction on the people of Ukraine,” she said.

In seeking to redraw borders by force, Russia’s actions show blatant contempt for international law.”

After about an hour we finally heard from Russia ,with Vasily Nebenzya calling the prior statements a “direct verbal assault” and saying they would go “unanswered”.

Nebenzya also attacked the west for “nudging” Ukraine towards conflict and accused other nations of overlooking the plight of those in the Donbas.

Most of you did not find any place for the nearly four million residents of Donbas ... Our western colleagues have been unashamedly cramming weapons into Ukraine.”

Russia then alleged Ukraine was on the brink of “military adventure”.

Allowing a new bloodbath in the Donbas is something we do not intend to do.”

Finally, Ukraine’s ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya took the stand, insisting that his country’s borders remain “unchangeable” despite Russia’s actions.

We are on our own land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone, we owe nothing to anyone and we will not give away anything to anyone. There should be no doubt whatsoever.

The international borders of Ukraine are and will remain unchangeable.

We demand from Russia to cancel the decision on recognition and return to the table of negotiations.

We condemn the order to deploy additional Russian occupation troops to the territories in Ukraine.

We demand immediate and complete verifiable withdrawal of the occupation troops.

The United Nations is sick. That’s a matter of fact. It has been hit by the virus spread by the Kremlin. Will it succumb to this virus?”

Updated

Putin's claims about 'peacekeeping' operation are 'nonsense', says US

US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has dismissed Vladimir’s Putin’s assertion that the Russian troops heading into the separatist regions of Ukraine would take on a “peacekeeping” role.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the UN.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield at the UN. Photograph: Jason Szenes/EPA

At a fiery emergency meeting of the security council in New York she said: “He calls them peacekeepers. This is nonsense. We know what they really are.”

Putin’s allegations about Ukrainian aggression in a speech on Monday amounted to a “series of outrageous, false claims” that were aimed at “creating a pretext for war.”

Putin wants to travel back to a time when empires ruled the world. This is not 1919.

Speaking after the meeting she said the US would announce new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday.

Updated

The Australian government has also announced it has moved all diplomatic officials out of Ukraine to eastern Poland and Romania.

Foreign minister Marise Payne confirmed the move “due to the increased risk” amid rising concerns of conflict.

“Australia stands in solidarity with Ukraine and continues to call on Russia to cease and reverse its unprovoked assault on its democratic neighbour,” Payne said.

Updated

News of Russia’s recognition of the breakaway territories of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent is filtering through the streets of Kyiv.

Maria Levchyshchyna, a 48-year-old painter in the Ukrainian capital, told Associated Press:

Why should Russia recognise (the rebel-held regions)? If neighbours come to you and say, This room will be ours,’ would you care about their opinion or not? It’s your flat, and it will be always your flat.

Let them recognise whatever they want. But in my view, it can also provoke a war, because normal people will fight for their country.”

Artem Ivaschenko, a 22-year-old cook originally from Donetsk, told AFP the recognition was the “scariest news” he had heard since he fled the region to Kyiv eight years ago. He said:

I am very shocked...I live here, I already lost a part of my homeland, it was taken away, so I will protect it.”

A group of people hold signs at the front of the Ukrainian foreign ministry during a protest calling for the European Union to impose additional sanctions against Russia on 21 February in Kyiv, Ukraine.
A group of people hold signs at the front of the Ukrainian foreign ministry during a protest calling for the European Union to impose additional sanctions against Russia on 21 February in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photograph: Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Updated

US secretary of state Antony Blinken has reiterated the United States’ “unwavering support” for Ukraine in a statement after he spoke to Ukraine foreign ministyer Dmytro Kuleba by phone on Monday.

A spokesperson for the US secretary of state said:

The secretary noted our swift response to Russia’s decision to recognize the purported ‘independence’ of the so-called republics controlled by Russian proxy authorities in eastern Ukraine. They discussed the strong measures we announced today in response and reiterated that additional steps would be forthcoming.

The pair are due to meet in Washington on Tuesday.

Updated

Russia’s representative to the United Nations has reiterated its combative stance, saying Ukraine “is on the verge of a new military adventure” in a tweet on Tuesday morning local time.

“We cannot allow this,” the representative added.

Updated

Ukraine’s president used a televised address in the early hours of Tuesday to accuse Russia of wrecking peace talks and has ruled out making any territorial concessions.

Zelenskiy added Ukraine was committed to peace and diplomacy after Russia formally recognised two Russian-backed separatist regions as independent on Monday evening.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressing the nation early on Tuesday.
Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressing the nation early on Tuesday. Photograph: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Reuters

Zelenskiy said “we are not afraid” after Russia officially recognised two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine as independent.

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.

Updated

Welcome to our rolling updates of developments in the Ukraine-Russia crisis. I’m Samantha Lock and I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates in what promises to be another very busy day ahead.

Here are the main developments so far:

  • The United States and allies such as the UK and France will announce new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday, the US ambassador to the UN has said. it was not clear what the extent of the sanctions would be. Earlier on Monday Joe Biden banned trade between the US and breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
  • The move follows Russia’s decision to recognise the breakaway regions of Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk, as independent states and send “peacekeeping” troops into the areas. Russian president Vladimir Putin said Ukraine has nuclear weapons and is being heavily influenced by the west.
  • A fiery emergency meeting of the UN security council on Monday night in New York saw western governments line up to condemn Russia for “escalating” the crisis. US envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield described Putin’s claim that the troops were “peacekeepers” as “nonsense”. Britain’s representative said Russia’s actions showed “blatant contempt to international law”.
  • Russia’s representative responded by accusing Ukraine of being “on the verge of a new military adventure”.
  • Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskiy used a televised address in the early hours of Tuesday to accuse Russia of wrecking peace talks and has ruled out making any territorial concessions. He said Ukraine was “not afraid of anything or anyone”.
  • British prime minister Boris Johnson is set to chair a meeting of the UK’s emergency committee Cobra on Tuesday morning to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine.
  • Russia has acquired the right to build military bases in Ukraine’s two breakaway regions under treaties signed by Putin with their separatist leaders, Reuters is reporting.
  • The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said Russia’s move was a breach of international law and fundamental OSCE principles and runs counter to the Minsk agreements.
  • All US state department personnel are now out of Ukraine, having relocated to a hotel in Poland, US secretary of state Antony Blinken has announced.

Updated

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