Thread by @AFP

#BREAKING Ukraine urges citizens to leave Russia 'immediately': ministry

VIDEO: Putin says Russia's interests 'non-negotiable' amid Ukraine crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow is ready to look for "diplomatic solutions" amid raging tensions with the West over Ukraine but stresses that the country's interests were non-negotiable

#UPDATE Ukraine urges its citizens to leave Russia immediately, citing the threat of a Russian invasion.

Escalating Russian aggression against Ukraine could complicate consular assistance in Russia, the foreign ministry says, urging citizens to refrain from travel to Russia

#BREAKING Ukraine calls up military reservists: official

#UPDATE The Ukrainian military issues order to mobilise reservists after Russia ordered its forces to prepare to secure rebel-held areas in the country's east.

"Reservists aged 18 to 60 will be called up... The call will start today. The maximum service life is one year"

Europe's reliance on Russian gas.

#AFPgraphics showing the percentage of total gas imports from Russia by European country

#BREAKING Pope calls for restraint in face of 'increasingly alarming scenarios' in Ukraine

#UPDATE Pope Francis said Wednesday that "increasingly alarming scenarios" were emerging in Ukraine that were threatening "the peace of all" amid fears of a Russian invasion

#BREAKING Ukraine security council calls for state of emergency

#UPDATE Ukraine's security council has approved plans to declare a state of national emergency, in response to the growing threat of a Russian invasion

#BREAKING Putin wants to 'negate' Ukraine as sovereign country: French FM

#UPDATE French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin no longer accepted Ukraine's independence under international law

#BREAKING Russia begins evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine: news agencies

#UPDATE Ukraine has mobilised its military reserve and urged its citizens to leave Russian territory as Moscow sharpened its demands, increasing fears of all-out war
u.afp.com/wQ6H

#UPDATE Russia began evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine, its embassy in Kyiv told AFP, a day after lawmakers in Moscow granted President Vladimir Putin to use force abroad

#BREAKING Russia says new US sanctions will meet 'strong response', 'sensitive for the American side': foreign ministry

#BREAKING 'Future of European security' being decided in Ukraine: President Zelensky

#BREAKING Ukraine President Zelensky demands 'clear, specific, and immediate' security guarantees from West, Russia

#BREAKING Turkey 'won't recognise any step against Ukraine's territorial integrity': presidency

#BREAKING UN Secretary-General says world facing 'moment of peril' over Ukraine-Russia crisis

#BREAKING EU calls emergency summit for Thursday on Russia's "aggressive actions" against Ukraine: Council President Michel

#UPDATE Ukraine mobilised its military reserves and Russia evacuated its Kyiv embassy on Wednesday as fears reached fever pitch of a full-scale conflict breaking out in eastern Europe u.afp.com/wQbZ