The Latest Breaking News from Luhansk

KHARKIV, Ukraine — In an almost-hourlong address that alternated between furious anti-Western rhetoric and the excoriation of Ukraine as a puppet nation, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized two Ukrainian breakaway republics as independent, a move certain to further incite animosities with the West and escalate fears of an…

The Russian leader has called on his defence ministry to dispatch 'peacekeepers' to eastern Ukraine's two breakaway regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, according to a decree published early on Tuesday

President Vladimir Putin orders his Defence Ministry to dispatch Russian forces to "maintain peace" in eastern Ukraine's two breakaway regions, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, after he said Moscow would recognise their independence.

It's in reaction to President Putin's decision to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine as independent republics

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces a host of sanctions against Russia in a strongly worded address of UK parliament in which he announces an invasion of Ukraine must fail.

The Russian president’s decision to recognise the independence of Ukrainian separatist regions draws condemnation.

KHARKIV, Ukraine — Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized two Ukrainian breakaway republics as independent, a move certain to further inflame animosities with the West and escalate fears of an invasion that could ignite fighting reminiscent of World War II and redraw the map of Eastern Europe.

Move follows announcement by Russian president that he is recognising Donetsk and Luhansk

The EU had already warned of sanctions if Moscow recognised the regions

Russian deployment follows decision to recognise territories in south-east will be viewed in Ukraine and by other western allies as an occupation

KHARKIV, Ukraine — Russian President Vladimir Putin called together his top security officials Monday to discuss whether to recognize the independence of two eastern Ukrainian enclaves under the control of Russian-backed separatists — a move that would further inflame tensions already close to a breaking point.