Thread by @AJEnglish

Ukraine-Russia updates: 18 February ⤵️

The G7 says it is prepared for “a serious dialogue” with Russia over the Ukraine crisis as Moscow says it is withdrawing more forces from the border.

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How did the recent Ukraine-Russia crisis start?

Here's a timeline of the events so far: aje.io/k6r68g

Ukrainian gov't forces and Russian-backed separatists trade fresh accusations of shelling and other ceasefire violations.

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Russia says President Putin to personally oversee huge military drills amid soaring tensions with Ukraine aje.io/ksa3ks

Videos of Russian military on the move spread on TikTok aje.io/qdm8sa

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has defended her country’s decision not to send weapons, saying its World War II past meant it had a duty to seek other ways to secure peace.

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Russian-backed separatists announce evacuation from east Ukraine aje.io/2f4krn

President Vladimir Putin has warned the situation in eastern Ukraine is “deteriorating” and called for Ukraine’s gov't to hold negotiations with Moscow-backed separatists in control of swaths of territory in the region.

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“My hope is that this table brings good luck, and doesn’t bring an escalation of conflict.”

- Renato Pologna, head of OAK furniture, Italy 👇 aje.io/cu43m3

Military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine aje.io/szdrav

“The atmosphere is tense for more than a week now and what we are worried about is the lack of clear answers.”

Crisis leaves Indian students in Ukraine worried aje.io/a8nkty

Any eventual sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union should not include energy imports, says Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

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US president says Russian attack could be ‘in coming days’, but says path of diplomacy still open to reduce tensions aje.io/gpaf3m