Feb 22, 2022: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his compatriots are “not intimidated” by Russia’s recognition of independence by the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, and said hours later that the country would deploy troops there to maintain peace.

Addressing a press conference after Russia’s move to recognise the independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “We are on our own land. We are not afraid of anything or anyone.”

“We owe nothing to anyone. And we will not give anything to anyone,” he added.

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was held on the deepening crisis in Ukraine, with the United States saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration was “a flagrant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The NATO chief called the move a violation of international agreements.

Western nations have repeatedly warned Russia not to formally recognize the separatist areas in Donetsk and Luhansk. Russia has been deploying troops around Ukraine’s borders for weeks, raising concerns among the U.S and other Western governments that it is planning to invade the country. Moscow has insisted it has no plans to do so.U

Russia’s foreign ministry says Moscow needs to ratify its friendship agreements with Ukraine’s two breakaway regions before it can discuss issues such as demarcating territorial boundaries. Russia’s parliament is expected to review the region’s friendship agreements on Tuesday.

Meanwhile Russia’s ambassador to the UN has said that eastern Ukraine is on the verge of a new “Ukrainian military adventure” which Russia cannot allow, and vowed not to allow “new bloodbath” in the region. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia also warned Western powers to “think twice” and not to worsen the situation in Ukraine.

China’s ambassador to the UN has called on all parties to the Ukraine crisis to exercise restraint and refrain from taking any action that could escalate tensions.

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield reiterated that Russia’s move to recognise the Donetsk and Luhansk rebel areas “tore the Minsk agreement to shreds” and that the US would be announcing sanctions on Russia on Tuesday.

Ukraine’s representative to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya condemned Putin’s “illegal and illegitimate” decision to recognise the rebel-held areas in Ukraine’s east. He equated Russia to a virus that was affecting the world and infecting even the UN.

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