Tanks roll into Ukraine as Europe makes first big moves

Tensions in Europe have skyrocketed after Vladimir Putin made a provocative, unexpected move insiders believe is be the beginning of an all-out war.

Russia would be the first nation to recognise the DPR and LPR, which were created by pro-Russian militants. Picture: New York Post

Europe has shown its “strongest show of force against Russia” yet as tensions skyrocket and UK government officials declare “the invasion of Ukraine has begun”.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made his biggest move yet after killing off the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.

“The situation has fundamentally changed”, he said, in what experts believe will come as a shock to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Meanwhile, Britain has announced it will impose sanctions on five Russian banks and three “very high-net worth individuals” following the deployment of troops to two Moscow-backed regions of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said overnight: “The UK and our allies will begin to impose the sanctions on Russia that we have already prepared using the new and unprecedented powers granted by this House to sanction Russian individuals and entities of strategic importance to the Kremlin.”

Russian tanks were on the move after Putin reportedly ordered troops into Ukraine and recruited medics to prepare for "bloodshed". Shelling is continuing between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels.

Videos show Russian military vehicles in two breakaway areas of eastern Ukraine — that Putin recognised as independent states on Monday - effectively annexing them into Russia.

A tank drives along a street after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the deployment of Russian troops in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk, Ukraine. Picture: REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

The world is now holding its breath after footage of Terminator-style Russian forces was taken from Makiivka, in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), and the neighbouring Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR).

“We are waking up to a very dark day in Europe. It‘s clear fom what we have already seen and found out today that Russia’s President Putin has decided to attack the sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity,” UK health secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News.

"You can conclude that the invasion of Ukraine has begun.”

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation live on television, warning Russia his country was unafraid and “will not concede anything to anyone”.

الجزيرة تعرض صورا حصرية لدخول قافلات عسكرية روسية إلى المناطق الانفصالية شرقي #أوكرانيا#الأخبارpic.twitter.com/JcKndGDXjm

— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) February 22, 2022

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting in response to the situation, with US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield describing as “nonsense” Putin’s reference to the troops as “peacekeepers”.

“We know what they really are,” Thomas-Greenfield said, saying Putin’s address amounted to a “series of outrageous, false claims” that were aimed at “creating a pretext for war.”

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As the crisis rages on, US intelligence has this week revealed that Mr Putin has given the order for his troops to invade Ukraine, with the Russian army now poised to strike.

Around three-quarters of Russia’s total forces have reportedly been deployed against Ukraine, with almost 200,000 Russian and separatist forces positioned in the area near the border.

‘Strongest show of force yet against Russia’

(L) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and (R) Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Pictures: JOHANNA GERON and Sergei GUNEYEV / AFP

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said overnight that Berlin will halt the $10bn Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, singled out by allies as a chink in Europe’s united front, as the West begins to fight back against Russia.

While construction of the pipeline has recently been completed, Mr Scholz said Germany had decided to “reassess” the certification given Russia’s latest actions in east Ukraine.

In what has been described as “his strongest show of force yet against Russia” by Sky News, Mr Scholz finally ruled in favour of the allies after Germany was reluctant to impose sancitons on the issue.

Dubbed a “significant move” by the Associated Press, the Nord Stream is a key pipeline that runs between Germany and Russia. Germany is heavily reliant on Russia for its gas with approximately half of the natural gas supply coming from there.

“That’s a huge step after refusing to be drawn on it in public for months,” Moscow correspondent for the Financial Times Max Seddon wrote.

“It’ll have major consequences for European energy security and suggests the western sanctions against Moscow will be tough.”

Gas pipes are seen strewn next to a Eugal / Nord Stream 2 station along the pipeline near the village of Wrangelsburg, north eastern Germany. Picture: Odd ANDERSEN / AFP

Insane price rise over Russian crisis

Oil prices surged close to $100 per barrel in a seven-year-high as major crude producer Russia prepared to send troops into two breakaway regions of Ukraine, sparking Western nations to ready economic sanctions against Moscow. Read the full story here.

Boris Johnson says sanctions incoming

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned Russia the “first barrage of UK economic sanctions” will be revealed.

Johnson said the Russian leader has showed his hand and has begun “full-scale invasion of Ukraine”, but will soon find he has “gravely miscalculated”.

Mr Johnson is holding an emergency COBRA meeting overnight to discuss the UK’s response and what sanctions they will place.

“If Vladimir Putin continues down this track of violence, of aggression, of a full-scale invasion, of encircling Kyiv itself which is what he seems to be proposing to do, capturing the Ukrainian capital, it is absolutely vital that that effort, should not succeed,” he said.

Ukraine President’s defiant TV address

VIDEO: 'We are not afraid of anything or anyone.'

"We are on our own land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone", says Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky after Russia ordered its troops into eastern Ukraine pic.twitter.com/aYp50XXUzh

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 22, 2022

President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the nation early Tuesday morning after Russia ordered troops into two contested regions in eastern Ukraine. Mr Zelensky warned that the country is “not afraid” and “will not concede anything to anyone”.

“We are on our land. We are not afraid of anything and anyone, we don’t owe anything to anyone, we will not concede anything to anyone,” Zelensky said in the 2am address.

“It’s not February 2014 but February 2022. It’s a different country. There’s a different army. There’s a single goal: peace.”

The president said he expected international powers who have been vocal about the buildup in recent weeks to respond immediately.

“It is very important to see who is our real friend and partner and who will continue to scare the Russian Federation with words,” he said.

The Australian Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment.

Ukraine military reports two dead

The Ukrainian military revealed two soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded in shelling by pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine.

The military said on its Facebook page it had recorded 84 cases of shelling by separatists during the “ceasefire”.

“As of 11 o‘clock this morning, February 22, 13 incidents of ceasefire violation by the Russian occupation forces were observed, including 10 incidents when the Russian occupation forces utilised weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreements,” the military revealed.

“In order to implement the security measures aimed at protecting the civilian population, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine pyrotechnic units of the Joint Forces de-mined almost 2 hectares of land and transferred for disposal 2 items of explosive ordnance.

“The Joint Forces units continue to carry out assigned missions of defeating and deterring the armed aggression of the Russian Federation.”

Putin’s peacekeepers “nonsense”

VIDEO: Russia calling troops in Ukraine peacekeepers is 'nonsense': US.

"He (Putin) has since announced that he will place Russian troops in these regions. He calls them peacekeepers. This is nonsense. We know what they really are": US ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield pic.twitter.com/PB4iPDJDtX

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 22, 2022

The United Nations Security Council has held an emergency meeting in response to the crisis unfolding in Ukraine.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield heaped scorn on Putin’s assertion that the Russian troops would take on a “peacekeeping” role.

The US envoy said an earlier speech by Putin amounted to a “series of outrageous, false claims” that were aimed at “creating a pretext for war.”

During the meeting, members voiced serious concerns regarding the impact of the invasion, with one representative revealing a disturbing prediction.

“In our past two meetings on Ukraine, I had mentioned nearly 3 million Ukrainians will need food, shelter and lifesaving assistance, right now,” the representative said.

“The UN estimates the humanitarian toll will expand significantly, should Russia further invade.

“Already Russian proxies dramatically increase shelling and artillery fire over the weekend, killing Ukrainian civilians and soldiers.

“If Russia invades Ukraine even further, we will see a devastating loss of life, unimaginable suffering, millions of displaced people will create a refugee crisis across Europe.”

Russia’s ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya told the meeting that Moscow was still open to a diplomatic solution.

“Allowing a new bloodbath in the Donbas is something we do not intend to do,” he added, referring to the region encompassing Donetsk and Lugansk.

Invasion ‘appears to have started’

Armoured vehicles have been filmed crossing the border from Russia into Ukraine, which one expert has taken as a sign that the invasion was now underway,

Hans Kristensen, the director of the Federation of American Scientist’s Nuclear Information Project, has taken to Twitter this morning to share information that the Russian invasion “appears to have started” just hours after Vladimir Putin broke international law to recognise two rebel Ukrainian regions.

He also shared footage from the 301 news network which show “columns of equipment” from the Russian Federation entering the territories of the republics of Donbas.

Columns of equipment from the Russian Federation entered the territories of the republics of Donbas. pic.twitter.com/El7ZAYed6n

— 301🇦🇲 (@301_AD) February 21, 2022

Troops sent to rebel regions

Moscow has ordered troops to the two rebel Ukrainian regions in a decree released almost immediately after Mr Putin earlier recognised the territories in a sensational move.

According to the New York Times, the Kremlin has since ordered Russia’s defence ministry to send forces to the pro-Russian regions to carry out “peacekeeping functions” in the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.

It’s not yet known whether troops will stay in the area controlled by the separatist republics, or progress further.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet he was “urgently preparing an address” in response to the move, and that he had been speaking with world leaders.

After the #NSDC meeting, discussed the current situation with @BorisJohnson. Now we are urgently preparing an address and after that, talks with @eucopresident and @RTErdogan are planned.

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 21, 2022

ScoMo slams Russia’s ‘nonsense’ peacekeeping claim

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed Moscow’s claim that troops were being sent to Ukraine’s rebel regions for “peacekeeping” reasons.

“Some suggestion they are peacekeeping is nonsense. They have moved in on Ukrainian sovereign territory,” Mr Morrison said on Tuesday morning.

“While I hope for the best in terms of diplomatic efforts that are being pursued … trying to avoid a violent confrontation with terrible human consequences. We cannot have threats of violence.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed Russia’s nonsense claim. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“The moment other countries put in place strong and severe sanctions on Russia, we will be in lock step and moving just as quickly.

“Russia should step back. It should unconditionally withdraw. It’s unacceptable, it’s unprovoked, it’s unwarranted.”

Russian troops ‘just 3.4km from Ukrainian border’

Alarming new footage has revealed Russian forces storming towards the Ukrainian border, with troops now just 3.4km away.

In a video shared on Twitter by Yeshiva World News reporter Moshe Schwartz, a “large column of about 45 tanks” can be seen in the Belgorod region of Russia travelling west toward Ukraine.

Mr Schwartz has geolocated the video, and said he had “high confidence” it placed the forces within a handful of kilometres from Ukraine.

#BREAKING: Video uploaded today from the Belgorod, Region of Russia shows a large column of about 45 tanks headed WEST in the direction of the border.

📍I have geolocated this video with high confidence to 50.458490,35.654072 which is JUST 3.4 km to the Ukrainian border. pic.twitter.com/0snsAobShU

— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) February 21, 2022

Five Ukrainian ‘saboteurs’ killed

Russian military officials have claimed that five Ukrainian “saboteurs” have been killed while attempting to breach the border.

According to the officials, the “diversionary reconnaissance” group were intercepted and their vehicles destroyed in addition to the deaths.

However, Ukraine has strenuously denied the allegations, insisting no Ukrainian forces were positioned in the Rostov region where the alleged fatalities occurred.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba denied that allegation and a slew of other claims from Russian officials, while Moscow continues to deny it was planning to invade Ukraine, despite intelligence from the West suggesting otherwise.

Five Ukrainian ‘saboteurs’ have reportedly been killed. Picture: Alexey NIKOLSKY/Sputnik/AFP

Other nations fear they’ll be next: Payne

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has told 2GB fellow Eastern European, such as Poland and Lithuania, nations are growing increasingly “concerned” they could be next on Russia’s hit list.

“This is obviously a very very serious situation,” Ms Payne said on air.

“Countries in the region are very concerned, that was certainly the message they were sending.

“These are countries that have fought their way out of this kind of oppression in the past, they have done so with courage and with strength they have grown and developed.”

She said Australia was willing to assist other European nations in need.

“Australia has been very clear our commitment to their sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly specifically the case of Ukraine right now … we will not be changing that position,” Ms Payne said.

“We will be continuing to request and suggest very very strongly … this is not inevitable, this does not have to happen, there are still choices to be made by Russia.”

This Maxar satellite image released on February 20 shows an overview of a new deployment east of Valuyki, Russia. Picture: Maxar Technologies/AFP

Threat of sanctions

Us President Joe Biden has announced new trade and financial sanctions against those two breakaway regions in response to Mr Putin’s decree.

The White House said in a statement that the President would sign an executive order to “prohibit new investment, trade, and financing by US persons to, from, or in the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine”, adding it would “soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments”.

Meanwhile, European Union leaders have also slammed the decree, hinting at repercussions to come.

“The recognition of the two separatist territories in Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine, and the Minsk agreements,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a tweet, while European Council President Charles Michel tweeted: “EU and its partners will react with unity, firmness and determination in solidarity.”