Fearing a Russian invasion, Ukraine on Wednesday declared a state of emergency and asked its citizens in Russia to flee. Russia, on the other hand, has ordered the evacuation of its embassy in Kyiv as large numbers of troops of both countries remain stationed at the line of contact in eastern Ukraine.
The European Union has called an emergency summit to decide the next course of actions against Russia after it recognized two breakaway regions in Ukraine as independent entities.
Meanwhile, Russia has denied planning an invasion of Ukraine and has described the West’s warnings as anti-Russian hysteria. Follow Russia-Ukraine news LIVE Updates
Russia-Ukraine stand-off: India Today reports from war zone
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Here are the top developments on the Russia-Ukraine crisis:
Ukraine declares state of emergency
On Wednesday, Ukraine declared a 30-day state of emergency and told its citizens in Russia to flee. The emergency could be extended for 30 more days if the standoff continues along Ukraine’s eastern border.
“Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian president — I cannot say,” Reuters quoted Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as saying.
A military truck drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops to two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, February 22, 2022. Photo: Reuters)
With the declaration of a state of emergency, the Ukrainian states now have the powers to put restrictions on transport, extra protection for critical infrastructure and a ban on strikes. Regional authorities can make decisions on whether to introduce curfews and other measures.
In addition to the emergency, Ukraine has also asked for compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.
UNGA meet on Ukraine crisis
On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly met for its annual meeting on Ukraine. At the meeting, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba appealed to the 193-member body to stop Russia’s “aggressive plans”.
“No one will be able to sit out this crisis if President Putin decides that he can move forward,” Dmytro Kuleba said.
“Active diplomacy, strong political messages, tough economic sanctions and strengthening Ukraine can still force Moscow to abandon aggressive plans,” he added.
Read | Russia-Ukraine crisis shows Cold War never really ended, here’s why
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that an expanded conflict “could see a scale and severity of need unseen for many years”.
A satellite image shows a close up of assembled vehicles at VD Bolshoy Bokov airfield, near Mazyr, Belarus, February 22, 2022. Photo: Reuters)
Russia starts evacuating diplomatic staff from Ukraine
Russia started evacuating personnel from all of its diplomatic facilities in Ukraine, including an embassy in Kyiv and consulates in Kharkiv, Odesa and Lviv, according to Russia’s state Tass news agency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on the Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow, Russia February 23, 2022. (Photo: Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow is always open to diplomacy but it will give precedence to its own national security interests. “I want to repeat that Russia’s interests and the security of our people are unconditional. So, we will continue to strengthen and modernize our army and navy,” Putin said in a statement.
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EU to hold emergency summit
The European Union leaders will hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine. “It is important that we continue to be united and determined and jointly define our collective approach and actions,” Reuters quoted EU Council chief Charles Michel as saying.
Michel said the agenda of the EU meeting would include discussing “how we protect the rules-based international order; how we deal with Russia notably holding Russia accountable for its actions; how we will further support Ukraine and its people.”
(With inputs from agencies)