Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of troops to the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine after recognizing its independence on Monday (22/02).
Quoted from Reuters Tuesday (22/02) morning, the move adds to the crisis events that the West fears could trigger a major war.
A witness reportedly saw tanks and other military equipment moving through the separatist-held city of Donetsk after Putin issued a decree recognizing the breakaway region and telling Russia's Defense Ministry to send troops to "maintain the peace".
The move drew US and European condemnation and vows of new sanctions although it remains unclear whether it was Putin's first major step toward the full-scale attack on Ukraine that Western governments have been warning about for weeks.
A senior US official said the deployment to breakaway enclaves already controlled by separatists loyal to Moscow did not constitute a "further invasion" that would trigger the toughest sanctions yet, but a bigger military move could come at any time.
There was no word on the size of the army that Putin sent, but the decree said Russia now had the right to build military bases in the breakaway region.
In a lengthy televised address filled with grievances against the West, a visibly angry Putin described Ukraine as an integral part of Russian history and said eastern Ukraine was ancient Russian land.
Russian state television showed Putin, joined by Russian-backed separatist leaders, signing a decree recognizing the independence of Ukraine's two breakaway regions - the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic - along with treaties of cooperation and friendship.
Defying Western warnings against such a move, Putin had announced his decision via phone call to the leaders of Germany and France beforehand, the Kremlin said.
Moscow's actions may thwart last-minute efforts for a summit with US President Joe Biden to prevent Russia from invading Ukraine, which
according to senior US officials is now in doubt.
Biden, who also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, quickly signed an executive order to halt all US business activity in the breakaway region and ban imports of all goods from the region.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the move was separate from sanctions the United States and its allies had prepared if Russia invaded Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the executive order was "designed to prevent Russia from taking advantage of this flagrant violation of international law."
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet publicly in Ukraine at 9 p.m. EST Monday (0200 GMT on Tuesday), a Russian diplomat said, following requests by the United States, Britain and France.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman said Germany, France and the United States had agreed to respond with sanctions, while British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Britain would announce new sanctions on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called Russia "trying to make excuses" for a further invasion. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
