Putin orders troops to Ukraine's breakway regions

As per latest reports, president Putin has reportedly ordered Forces to move in the breakawy regions of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognised the independence of two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine in an emotional address on state-run television, despite warnings from the West this could trigger sweeping sanctions. "I believe it is necessary to take a long overdue decision, to immediately recognise the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic," he said. State broadcasts then showed Putin signing mutual aid and friendship agreements with rebel leaders in the Kremlin.

At the end of his lengthy speech, Putin asked Russia's upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, to "support this decision". Both Russia's lower and upper houses of parliament are due to vote on the recognition on Tuesday. The Russian leader also demanded that Ukraine end military operations against pro-Moscow rebels in the eastern part of the country, or face more possible bloodshed.

Meanwhile, Huge criticism worldwide has followed after Russia’s decision to recognise the Ukraine rebel regions in eastern Ukraine - Donetsk and Luhansk – as independent areas despite calls from the west to put an end to the tensions driven by fears that Russia may attack Ukraine. President  Volodymyr Zelensky has said that  Ukraine “is not afraid of anything or anyone. Russia’s step was "a violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the former Soviet state,” he sad. The United States has already announced sanctions prohibiting “new investment, trade, and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in” the two breakaway regions . Australia PM Scott Morrison lashed out at Putin. "It's unacceptable, it's unprovoked, it's unwarranted ... some suggestion that they are peacekeeping is nonsense," he said.