The Latest Breaking News from Luhansk

And what could happen next?

Vladimir Putin backing Vladimir Zhirinovsky predicted when the Russian forces would invade Ukraine, as they did in the early hours of February 22 by rolling tanks into Donetsk and Luhansk

Ukraine's efforts to join Nato are fiercely opposed by Russia, which is keen to stop the US-led military alliance from expanding further into eastern Europe

Developments bear uncanny similarities with events in Indian subcontinent half a century ago

Pro-Russian separatist regions declared independence from Kiev in 2014

Russia's move to recognise the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk has sent ripples through global markets on Tuesday, with falls across Asia, and in early trading in Europe. Oil prices also jumped, with the international benchmark Brent Crude hitting its highest level since mid-2014. Investors are now focusing…

The U.K. defense secretary has warned of worrying signs that Russia has begun to move forces into Ukraine as he opened a conference of defense ministers from Baltic and North Atlantic states

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has signed a decree recognising the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk

Russian President Vladimir Putin has received no support from members of the U.N. Security Council for his actions to bring separatists in eastern Ukraine under Moscow’s control

Germany pulls plug on Nord Stream 2 pipeline, as UK and European shares see-saw and rouble sinks to two-year low

UN chief Antonio Guterres said that Russia's decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.