Russian soldiers have been standing by the border with Ukraine for weeks.
Now there seems to be a marching order.
Moscow - Apparently, a military escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict is now actually threatening.
According to reports in the Russian media, Russia's President Vladimir Putin* gave an order to invade the separatist areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.
According to two Kremlin decrees, the units are to ensure peace in the “People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk”, which Moscow now recognizes as independent states.
Putin had recently recognized the independence of the pro-Russian, separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.
However, it was initially unclear when the soldiers would be sent.
In addition, Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry to establish diplomatic relations with the two regions that belong to Ukraine under international law.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis takes another dramatic turn - the EU had previously threatened sanctions
At the time the decision was made public, international politics was still busy reacting to the recognition of the two "People's Republics".
French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
The Élysée Palace announced on Monday evening that the recognition step is clearly a unilateral violation of Russia's international obligations and an attack on Ukraine's sovereignty.
Macron also supported targeted European sanctions, as the EU leaders had already announced.
Macron had previously consulted with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and US President Joe Biden in a joint telephone call.
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, this first diplomatic process violated the United Nations Charter.
In doing so, Russia violated Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Guterres said in a statement on Monday.
He was deeply concerned and once again called for a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Putin in the Ukraine crisis: Russia's president made people sit up and take notice with a speech
"I consider it necessary to take a long overdue decision, namely to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic," Putin said in a speech broadcast on state television on Monday evening.
He called on Parliament to "confirm this decision and then ratify the friendship and assistance agreements with the two republics".
This should happen on Tuesday afternoon.
A week ago, the parliamentarians appealed to President Vladimir Putin for recognition.
Violence in the pro-Russian separatist areas had steadily increased in recent days.
The separatist leaders of the self-proclaimed "people's republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk called on Putin on Monday afternoon to recognize their independence from Ukraine.
(
fn/dpa
) *
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