Russian President Vladimir Putin has told French and german leaders he plans to sign a decree recognising two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.
The news has sparked fears that Russia may be using the decree as a way to move troops further into Ukrainian territory.
The breakaway region, the Donetsk and Luhansk, known as the Donbass, broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014, proclaiming themselves independent with Russia's support.
Until now, the Donbass was unrecognised as an independent.
Since the breakaway, Ukraine has reported that approximately 15,000 people have been killed in the fighting.
Russia has denied backing the Donbass but has supplied the regions with military support, financial aid, supplies of Covid vaccines and has issued around 800,000 Russian passports to residents.
Putin's comments mean this will be the first time Russia recognises the regions as not being part of Ukraine.
The recognition could mean Moscow has plans to send military forces into the separatist regions, using the argument that it is intervening as an ally to protect them against Ukraine.
Moscow continues to deny it has any plans to invade Ukraine.
By recognising the regions, Russia is effectively making the 2014-15 Minsk peace agreements irrelevant.
Western forces have continuously warned Russia that should troops move across the Ukraine border, they will be met with a strong response, including financial sanctions.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week the recognition "would further undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, constitute a gross violation of international law, (and) call into further question Russia's stated commitment to continue to engage in diplomacy to achieve a peaceful resolution of this crisis".
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has said Putin's decision to recognise the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk is a breach of international law.
He said Putin's latest move was an "ill omen" and a "dark sign" that things are moving in the wrong direction.
"This is plainly in breach of international law, it's a flagrant violation of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine," he said.
