Putin Orders “Peacekeeping” Troops Into Ukraine

The Washington Post reports:

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees ordering military forces into two separatist regions of Ukraine for “peacekeeping” purposes as Moscow recognized the breakaway regions’ independence Monday.

Putin signed a decree recognizing the areas — a move that Russia could use to justify an attack in those areas — and an agreement of cooperation with the heads of the two regions: Denis Pushilin of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Leonid Pasechnik of the Luhansk People’s Republic.

The formal recognition prompted a chorus of condemnation from world leaders, with some vowing sanctions.

Putin has ordered Russian troops into Ukraine.

The decrees on recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics order the Russian armed forces to go into separatist territory on peacekeeping missions. pic.twitter.com/cjKMidlD4Q

— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 21, 2022

New: Hours after recognizing two separatist regions of Ukraine, Putin is now deploying troops to them as well.

Unclear if the troops will remain only in territory currently controlled by the separatists — or seek to capture additional territory as well.https://t.co/rrsFv5qEun

— Gabe Fleisher (@WakeUp2Politics) February 21, 2022

And so it begins…

Russian leader Vladimir Putin signs decrees ordering military forces into two separatist regions of Ukraine for ‘peacekeeping’ purposes as Moscow recognises independence of breakaway regions – via ⁦@nytimes⁩ https://t.co/nVAwHItlGp

— Simon Carswell (@SiCarswell) February 21, 2022