"The invasion of Ukraine has begun": The world responds to Russia

Tensions between the West and Russia have reached a boiling point, with UK government officials declaring that “the invasion of Ukraine has begun”.

The declaration comes after Russia recognised the sovereignty of two areas of eastern Ukraine which have declared themselves as breakaway states - effectively annexing them from Ukraine.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has also sent troops on a “peacekeeping mission” in these areas, which call themselves the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics and have been financed by Russia since 2014.

Until now, Russia has recognised the two regions as part of Ukraine.

On Tuesday, footage emerged of Russian military convoys entering the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with around three-quarters of the country’s total forces reportedly deployed against Ukraine.

“We are waking up to a very dark day in Europe,” UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News. “It’s clear from 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.

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

Shelling has also been reported, with Ukraine’s Defence Ministry claiming its territories were shelled 80 times within 24 hours from Luhansk and Donetsk.

In a statement, the ministry alleged that 58 of those incidents came from weapons which are banned under the Minsk agreements - a ceasefire pact made in 2014 - which Putin claims “no longer exists”.

At least one fatality and several injuries have been recorded.

The West responds

Russia’s actions have sparked widespread condemnation, sanctions and the killing-off of a multi-billion-dollar energy project.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the end of the Nod Stream 2 pipeline project which was designed to double the flow of gas from Russia to Germany and ease the pressure on European consumers, as reported by Reuters.

“The situation has fundamentally changed,” he said, noting that Putin’s actions were a “grave breach” of international law.

Meanwhile, Britain imposed sanctions on five Russian banks and three “very high net-worth individuals”.

“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,” Mr Johnson said overnight.

The US confirmed they would join the UK in sanctioning two of Russia’s largest financial institutions, the military bank and investment company VEB, as well as Russian elites and their families.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmyto Kuleba further encouraged the use of tough sanctions against Russia, claiming that recognising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent was an attack on the world order.

“Ukraine strongly believes the time for sanctions is now,” Mr Kuleba said at a press conference alongside US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

“The world must respond with all its economic might to punish Russia for the crimes it has already committed and ahead of the plans it plans to commit.

“Hit Russia’s economy now and hit it hard.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday that Canada will also impose sanctions on Russia, including sanctioning members of the Russian parliament who voted to recognise the two Ukrainian regions as independent.

Mr Trudeau said up to 460 additional Canadian Armed Forces members will be sent to Latvia and the surrounding regions to bolster NATO forces, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called up army reservists to bolster their military numbers.

The United Nations has also condemned Russia’s actions and has said its troops are not peacekeepers.

“When troops of one country enter the territory of another country without its consent, they are not impartial peacekeepers,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

“They are not peacekeepers at all.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also slammed Russia’s claims of conducting a peacekeeping mission, and has said Australia will “be in lockstep and moving just as quickly” when other countries begin implementing sanctions.

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

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