The crisis is intensifying in the East as Vladimir Putin has announced that he recognizes the independence of the separatist regions. Follow live all the information on the tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
23H32
The spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anne-Claire Legendre, invited this Wednesday, February 23 “French nationals in Ukraine” to leave this country without delay.
“In the context of the heightened tensions created by the concentration of Russian troops on the borders of Ukraine, by the Russian decision to recognize the independence of the provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk and in view of the establishment of the state emergency decided today by the Ukrainian Parliament, French nationals in Ukraine must leave this country without delay”, can we read in the press release.
“French nationals in Ukraine must leave this country without delay”#UkraineRussie@francediplohttps://t.co/u1d2LADxQq https://t.co/u1d2LADxQq
— Anne-Claire Legendre (@AClaireLegendre) February 23, 2022
21H59
The Kremlin claimed on Wednesday evening that the leaders of the self-proclaimed pro-Russian separatist “republics” in eastern Ukraine had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin for “help” to “repel the aggression” of the Ukrainian army.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, quoted by Russian state news agencies, said that these two pro-Russian rebel regions had “requested the help of the President of Russia to repel the aggression of the Ukrainian armed forces”.
Not good. Donetsk and Luhansk puppet leaders have sent requests to Putin “to assist in repelling aggression from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in order to avoid civilian casualties and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe” in the Donbas. Photos from the Kremlin via TASS news agency. pic.twitter.com/s35kYgYBcE
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 23, 2022
20H53
The Ukrainian Parliament adopted on Wednesday evening by a large majority the introduction of a national state of emergency in the face of the threat of a Russian invasion.
A total of 335 deputies against a required minimum of 226 votes voted for this decision proposed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and supported earlier in the day by the National Security Council.
20H29
US President Joe Biden announced sanctions on Wednesday against the company responsible for operating the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, linking Russia to Germany, a new measure to respond to Vladimir Putin’s maneuvers around Ukraine.
“Today I directed my administration to impose sanctions against Nord Stream 2 AG and its leaders,” the White House tenant said in a statement. The parent company of this company is the Russian giant Gazprom.
17H39
The conflict triggered by Russia with Ukraine could result in “a new refugee crisis” with “up to 5 million additional people displaced”, warned on Wednesday the American ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield , before the United Nations General Assembly.
17H20
Several Ukrainian government sites, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense and the Interior, were inaccessible this Wednesday, February 23.
According to Archyde.com, the Ukrainian authorities have indicated that they have detected warning signs of a potential denial of service attack which consists of massively soliciting a server in order to saturate it and cause a malfunction.
Confirmed: #Ukraine‘s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine and Cabinet of Ministers websites have just been impacted by network disruptions; the incident appears consistent with recent DDOS attackspic.twitter.com/EVyy7mzZRr
— NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 23, 2022
16H16
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that the world was facing “a moment of peril”, again denouncing the “violations” committed by Moscow with regard to Kiev, at the opening of a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
16h15
A summit of the leaders of the 27 EU countries will be held Thursday evening in Brussels, after Moscow’s recognition of the separatist regions in Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel announced on Wednesday.
16H13
A Ukrainian soldier was killed on Wednesday by a shelling by pro-Russian separatists on the frontline in eastern Ukraine, the military said, amid growing tensions.
15H32
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday demanded “security guarantees” for his country from the West and Moscow, as Ukraine faces the threat of a Russian invasion.
14h30
“We are united in the conviction that the future of European security is being played out right now at home, in Ukraine,” declared Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyen receiving his Polish and Lithuanian counterparts in Kiev.
14h11
Moscow promises a “strong” and “painful” response to the sanctions imposed by the United States against it.
13h43
Ukraine’s Security Council on Wednesday called for a state of emergency in the country amid fears of an imminent Russian invasion.
“The Ukrainian Parliament must endorse this decision within 48 hours,” said Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council OleksiĂŻ Danilov, after a meeting of this structure.
Under the terms of this decision, the authorities will be able to “strengthen the protection” of public order and strategic infrastructure, “limit the circulation of transport”, intensify the verification of vehicles and documents of citizens, specified Mr. Danilov.
These are “preventive measures to preserve calm in the country, so that the economy continues to function”, he added, assuring that “it will not have a radical impact on daily life. “Ukrainians.
13h37
Vladimir Putin has declared the “negation” of Ukraine as a “sovereign country” with the recognition of two separatist regions in the east of the country, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian accused on Wednesday.
“President Putin in his speech in a way declared the negation of Ukraine as a sovereign country. We are in a phase of revisionism to rediscover old spaces by reinventing history,” Le Drian said during a meeting. a press conference in Berlin with his German counterpart.
“In general, he does not meet the commitments he makes, either in public or in private, whether with regard to President Macron or with regard to the (German) Chancellor Olaf Scholz (… ) When and how should we take President Putin’s word for it? I don’t know if anyone knows,” he said.
10h40
Pope Francis on Wednesday deplored the “increasingly alarming scenarios” that are looming in Ukraine and threaten “the peace of all”, while fears of a military escalation by Moscow are at their highest. “I have great pain in my heart at the worsening situation in Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic efforts of recent weeks, more and more alarming scenarios are opening up.
Like me, many people feel anguish and concern,” declared the sovereign pontiff at the end of his weekly general audience. “I urge all the parties involved to refrain from any action that could cause even more suffering to the populations, by destabilizing the coexistence between nations and by discrediting international law”, he added before the faithful gathered in the Paul VI hall, in the Vatican.
9h54
The Ukrainian armed forces announced on Wednesday a plan to mobilize reservists on Wednesday amid fears of a military escalation by Moscow. “The mobilization will concern reservists aged 18 to 60,” said the Ukrainian ground forces on Facebook.
9h24
Ukraine calls on its nationals to leave Russia “immediately”.
9h07
British Foreign Minister Liz Truss said on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would “highly likely” want to invade Ukraine and take its capital Kiev, after Moscow recognized the independence of pro-Russian separatist territories.
“We believe it is highly likely that he will carry out his plan for a full invasion of Ukraine,” Liz Truss told Sky News television. “We think it is highly likely what he is planning,” she added, when asked about a possible takeover of Kiev.
8h54
The sanctions package adopted by the EU against Russia after Moscow recognized two separatist entities in eastern Ukraine will come into force as early as Wednesday evening or Thursday, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs said on Wednesday. .
“There were very quick reactions from the Europeans, coordinated moreover with the Americans, the British. These sanctions will be applied this evening probably or tomorrow at the most”, indicated Clément Beaune on France Inter radio.
This first package of sanctions, which can “go beyond”, includes targeted measures, in particular against Russian deputies who voted for recognition, and financial measures against Russian banks. “The Russian state, the Russian banks will no longer be able to finance themselves on the European markets”, underlined Clément Beaune.
7h05
Russian President Vladimir Putin assured on Wednesday that he was ready to find “diplomatic solutions” in the current crisis with Ukraine and the West, while insisting on the “non-negotiable” nature of the interests and security of his country.
“Our country is always open to direct and honest dialogue to find diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems. However, the interests and security of our citizens are non-negotiable for us,” Putin said in a televised speech on Defender of the Fatherland Day.