Ukraine Crisis News Feb 22 Highlights: “The escalation of tension along the Russia-Ukraine border is a matter of deep concern and the developments have the potential to undermine peace and security of the region,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said at an emergency UNSC meeting on the situation in Ukraine, reported PTI. The meeting is being held, hours after Putin announced signing a decree recognizing the independence of breakaway regions Donetsk and Luhansk.
Trimurti said that the immediate priority is de-escalation of tensions taking into account the legitimate security interests of all countries and aimed towards securing long term peace and stability in the region and beyond.
As the world watches anxiously, here are latest updates on the Russia-Ukraine crisis:
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday authorized President Vladimir Putin to use military force outside the country — a move that could presage a broader attack on Ukraine after the U.S. said an invasion was already underway there. (AP)
Visual of the Air India special flight leaving from Ukraine to Delhi with a total of 241 passengers on-board. The flight is delayed and will arrive at 11.30 pm (tonight) at IGI airport. It was scheduled to land at 10.15 pm. (ANI)
The rouble rebounded from a near two-year low and shares in major Russian banks leapt on Tuesday after Britain announced the first but relatively modest sanctions after Moscow recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent.
The rouble on Monday suffered its biggest one-day drop since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic after President Vladimir Putin recognised the two regions as independent, but it regained some ground in volatile trade as the first round of penalties proved to be less harmful than feared.
Britain imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three billionaires but stopped short of targeting major lenders, such as state-controlled Sberbank and VTB.
Shares in Russia's largest lender Sberbank jumped 7.9% on the day as of 1517 GMT, while shares in No.2 bank VTB were up 4.7%.
Other possible sanctions could target major financial institutions, block Russia's access to electronics supplies, or curb the operations of its energy firms.
The rouble rebounded to 79.13 to the dollar, up 0.8%, after earlier falling to 80.97, a level last seen on March 23, 2020. (Reuters)
Russia Moscow, Feb 22 (APRussian President Vladimir Putin asked the country's parliament on Tuesday for a permission to use military force outside the country.
Putin's letter to the upper house of parliament would formalize a Russian military deployment to rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, a day after the Russian leader recognized their independence.
It may also herald Putin's intention to launch a broader attack on Ukraine. Western leaders earlier said Russian troops had moved into the country's east — and the U.S. called it an invasion.
Lawmakers are expected to quickly rubber-stamp Putin's request during a session Tuesday. (AP)
President Vladimir Putin asks Russian lawmakers for permission to use force outside the country, which could pave the way for a broader attack on Ukraine. (AP)
U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 2 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Tuesday to provide an update on the situation concerning Russia and Ukraine, the White House said. (Reuters)
Russia has recognised the ‘sovereignty’ of Luhansk and Donetsk. These two regions had declared their independence from Ukraine in 2014. Russia insisted on implementation of the Minsk Agreement which guaranteed autonomy to the Donbas region. But Kiev was lacklustre in taking the proposal further. However, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky miscalculated the move assuming that NATO will deter Russia from taking any action. Ukraine is paying the price for the half-hearted commitment of NATO. The Western threat of sanction is not enough to dissuade Russia from declaring the two regions as independent states. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has ordered its defence ministry to send peacekeeping forces in the region to secure it from a possible Ukrainian onslaught. | READ MORE
The top ranking United States diplomat in Ukraine, Kristina Kvien, on Tuesday said Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions threatened the global order and were based on "delusional" statements.
"We all heard the speech President Putin delivered yesterday. His outrageous statements about Ukraine and the Ukrainian people were delusional, reflecting a warped vision reminiscent, not of a global leader, but of Europe's worst authoritarians," Kvien said. (Reuters)
Russia-Ukraine impact yet to be felt on trade; we are careful that our exporters do not suffer, says Sitharaman (PTI)
Govt watching Russia-Ukraine crisis closely, says Nirmala Sitharaman (PTI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the ensuing jump in global crude prices are a challenge to financial stability in India.
The two issues were discussed at the meeting of Financial Stability Development Council (FSDC), which comprises all the financial sector regulators, Sitharaman told reporters. | READ MORE
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday said Britain would sanction five Russian banks and three high net worth individuals including Gennady Timchenko after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised two breakaway regions of east Ukraine.
"Today, the UK is sanctioning the following five Russian banks: Rossiya, IS Bank, General Bank, Promsvyazbank and the Black Sea Bank, and we're sanctioning three very high net worth individuals," Johnson told parliament. (Reuters)
Russia announced Tuesday that its recognition of independence for areas in eastern Ukraine extends to territory currently held by Ukrainian forces further raising the stakes amid Western fears that Moscow a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine is imminent. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia has recognised the rebel regions' independence’ in borders that existed when they proclaimed their independence in 2014. AP
Natural gas flowed east in reverse mode through the Yamal-Europe pipeline on Tuesday, while President Vladimir Putin pledged Russia would continue to deliver uninterrupted supplies to world markets amid an escalating crisis in Ukraine.The pipeline between Poland and Germany usually accounts for about 15% of Russia's westbound supply of gas to Europe and Turkey but since December has been operating in reverse, driving European gas price rises.Putin said that Russia would continue to supply gas to world markets as the United States and its European allies were poised to announce fresh sanctions against Moscow after it recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.Flows through the Yamal-Europe pipeline were flat on Tuesday while continuing to move in reverse mode for a tenth week, data from German network operator Gascade showed. Reuters
The Kremlin said on Tuesday it hoped Russia's recognition of two breakaway Ukrainian regions as independent would help restore calm and that Moscow remained open to diplomacy with the United States and other countries.In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he was unable to say if Russian forces had already entered the two separatist regions that are often referred to simply as the Donbass.He said a decision to send in forces would depend on how the situation developed. Reuters
Oil hit its highest since 2014 on Tuesday as tensions between Russia and Ukraine escalated after Moscow ordered troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, adding to supply concerns that are pushing prices to near $100 a barrel.The United States and its European allies are poised to announce new sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin formally recognised the two regions in eastern Ukraine, escalating a security crisis on the continent."The potential for a rally over $100 a barrel has received an enormous boost," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. Reuters
Britain will immediately impose hard economic sanctions on Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday."We will immediately institute a package of economic sanctions," Johnson told reporters.The sanctions, he said, would be "targeted not just at entities in Donbass and Luhansk and Donetsk, but in Russia itself - targeting Russian economic interests as hard as we can."Putin will find he has "gravely miscalculated" if Russia invades Ukraine, Johnson said, adding that Moscow appeared to be bent on a full scale invasion.Johnson chaired a meeting of Britain's national emergency security committee early on Tuesday Reuters
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created a situation as grave as the 1962 Cuban missile crisis when a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, a senior British minister said on Tuesday.Asked if the situation was on a par with the Cuban missile crisis, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: "I would agree with that analysis.""I do think it's as serious a situation as that," Javid told BBC radio.The Cuban missile crisis erupted in 1962 when the Soviet Union responded to a U.S. missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba. Reuters
The Ukrainian military on Tuesday said two soldiers have been killed and 12 wounded in shelling by pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine in the past 24 hours, the most casualties this year, as ceasefire violations increase.The military said on its Facebook page it had recorded 84 cases of shelling by separatists who it said had opened fire on about 40 settlements along the front line using heavy artillery.Ukraine has accused Russia of provoking the violence, saying Moscow used it as a pretext to formally recognise eastern Ukraine as independent and move its troops into the region, precipitating a crisis that the West fears could unleash a major war. Reuters
Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that Moscow needed to first ratify its friendship treaties with two breakaway Ukrainian regions before it could discuss matters like the exact borders of the territories, RIA news agency reported.President Vladimir Putin recognised the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent on Monday, fuelling fears of a looming war. Russia's parliament is expected to review friendship treaties with the territories on Tuesday. Reuters
Western nations criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to order the deployment of troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognising them as independent on Monday.
The deployment of what Russia called a peacekeeping operation in eastern Ukraine is "nonsense" and Moscow's recognition of breakaway regions as independent is part of its pretext for war, the United States told the U.N. Security Council on Monday.The consequences of Russia's actions "will be dire - across Ukraine, across Europe, and across the globe," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the emergency meeting of the 15-member council.Tensions between Moscow and Western capitals have escalted following weeks of United States accusations that Russia has deployed up to 150,000 troops near Ukraine's borders for an invasion. Reuters
India's benchmark 10-year bond yield opened higher on Tuesday after Moscow ordered troops into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine causing a risk-off in global markets and a surge in global crude oil prices.Brent crude futures rose $2.10, or 2.2%, to $97.49 a barrel at 0132 GMT, adding to a 2% gain on Monday. Earlier on Tuesday it hit $97.66, its highest since Sept. 2014.India's 10-year bond yield was trading at 6.73%, up 4 basis points from its close on Monday.Traders said the government's decision to sell bonds this week after cancelling the last two weekly auctions was also weighing on sentiment. Reuters
Air India's special ferry flight left for Ukraine from India today morning to bring back the Indian nationals. The Dreamliner B-787 aircraft deployed for the special operation with a capacity of over 200 seats. The special flight from Ukraine will land in Delhi tonight. - ANI
We strongly emphasize the vital need for all sides to maintain international peace and security by exercising the utmost restraint and intensifying diplomatic efforts to ensure that a mutually amicable solution is arrived at the earliest: India at UNSC meet on Ukraine (ANI)
Russia's ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday that Eastern Ukraine had been on the brink of a new "Ukrainian military adventure" that Russia could not allow, and vowed it would not let a 'new bloodbath' happen in the region.
Speaking at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, the Russian ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, also warned Western powers to 'think twice' and not worsen the situation in Ukraine. (Reuters)
Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Monday that after Russian statements on possible recognition of breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, everyone has to focus on de-escalation efforts. "Everyone realizes consequences. A lot of emotions out there, but it's exactly now that we all should calmly focus on de-escalation efforts. No other way," Kuleba tweeted. Kuleba said he would discuss de-escalation efforts with U.S. Secretary of State on Tuesday during a trip to Washington. (Reuters)
British foreign minister Liz Truss said on Monday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was very likely but there was still a chance that diplomacy could work. "We are definitely seeing the precursors to an invasion. Now we can't rule out the fact that diplomacy and deterrence could work but the situation is very dangerous," Truss told broadcasters. "We urge (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to stop." (Reuters)
Ukraine said on Monday about 10 airlines had stopped flying there amid U.S. warnings of an attack by Russian forces massed on its border, but insisted its air corridors were still open and flying to the East European country was safe. Germany's Lufthansa said it was halting flights to Ukraine from Monday, joining KLM which has already done so. Scandinavian airline SAS also suspended weekly flights while Air France has decided to cancel Tuesday flights between Paris and Kyiv as a "precautionary measure". "The current cancellation of flights by a number of foreign airlines is dictated solely by the information aggravation of the situation, and not by real changes in flight safety," Infrastructure Minister Oleksander Kubrakov told a news briefing. (Reuters)