Thread by @Telegraph

🚨Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian forces into Ukraine #RussiaUkraineCrisis

Thread ⬇️

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

The Russian president ordered the army across the border to "maintain peace", after he recognised the independence of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in a televised address to the nation #RussiaUkraineCrisis

In an ominous speech that lasted almost an hour, Mr Putin accused the Ukrainian government of "genocide" and said it was sure to seek nuclear weapons with the assistance of the West

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

Afterwards, he signed a decree that recognised the independence of the Russian-speaking separatist regions, which have been under effective control since Russia stoked a separatist war there in 2014

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

In Mr Putin’s eyes, it could create a legal basis for the Russian army to move across the border into the Donbas region and engage in direct conflict with Ukrainian forces - dashing months of Western diplomatic efforts aimed at averting an invasion

🔴The announcement drew immediate condemnation from Western governments, which threatened to impose sanctions

🇬🇧Boris Johnson said “The UK will do everything we can to stand by the people of Ukraine, with a very robust package of sanctions”

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

🇺🇦Ukraine immediately requested a meeting of the UN Security Council to address the threat of a Russian invasion, citing security assurances it received in return for giving up its Soviet-era nuclear stockpile

🇷🇺The move means Russia is abandoning the 2015 Minsk II peace agreements that would have re-integrated the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics back into Ukraine

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

For the full story - read our article here, reporting from @RolandOliphant, @Nat_Vasilyeva and @Barnes_Joe telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…