On February 21, in a televised address, President Putin announced that he recognized the independence of the pro-Russian separatist territories of Donetsk and Lugansk in Ukraine, tipping the situation between the two countries on the brink of war.
The upper house of the Russian parliament on Tuesday evening approved Vladimir Putin's request to deploy Russian soldiers abroad, after his request to come to the aid of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.
The intensity of violence in eastern Ukraine, the scene of an eight-year war with Russian-backed separatists, rose sharply last week amid fears of an imminent Russian invasion.
Back, in pictures, to the heart of the front line.
Directed by:
Olivier JUSZCZAK
The intensity of violence in eastern Ukraine, the scene of an eight-year war with Russian-backed separatists, rose sharply last week amid fears of an imminent Russian invasion.
Exchanges of heavy weapons fire have intensified along the frontline between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces.
On February 17, Joe Biden judges a Russian offensive possible "in the coming days", while Moscow has deployed more than 150,000 soldiers at the border, according to American intelligence.
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine announced on Friday February 18 the evacuation of civilians to neighboring Russia, accusing Kiev of preparing an invasion after an outbreak of clashes.
In a long televised speech on February 21, Mr. Putin reiterated his unfounded accusations of “genocide” against Russians and Russian-speakers in Ukraine and presented Ukraine as an artificial country inseparable from Russia.
On February 19, the Ukrainian army announces the death of two of its soldiers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposes a meeting with Putin who, at the same time, supervises "strategic" exercises with the firing of "hypersonic" missiles.
On February 21, the Elysée indicates that the Russian and American presidents accept its principle of a Putin-Biden summit.
But the Kremlin considers this announcement “premature”.
The same day, in a televised address, Putin recognizes the independence of the pro-Russian separatist territories.
The EU promises sanctions.
A few hours later, during an emergency meeting, the UN and a majority of members of the Security Council condemn the Russian decisions.
On the 22nd, the United States declared that they were going to impose new sanctions against Russia.
Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe recorded in 48 hours more than 3,200 new violations of the truce supposed to be in force in eastern Ukraine.
These are mainly "explosions" around the front line, according to this OSCE bulletin.
The upper house of the Russian Parliament approved this Tuesday evening the request of President Vladimir Putin to deploy Russian soldiers abroad, after his request to come to the aid of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine.
Conflict
Slideshow
World
Russia
Ukraine