UN chief Antonio Guterres has dismissed Russia’s plans to ship troops to japanese Ukraine as “not peacekeepers in any respect”, as Western nations imposed stinging sanctions towards Moscow, together with measures that will goal to starve the nation of financing.
Guterres mentioned Russia’s strikes to recognise the 2 separatist areas in japanese Ukraine violated the nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and referred to as for an instantaneous ceasefire.
“We want restraint and cause,” he mentioned. “We have to de-escalate now.”
Saying what he mentioned was the “first tranche” of sanctions – focusing on Russia’s sovereign debt, monetary establishments and “elites” – US President Joe Biden mentioned Russia’s deployment of troops amounted to the “starting of an invasion”.
The UK additionally imposed sanctions on Russian banks and excessive web value people, whereas Germany halted the approval course of for the Nord Stream 2 fuel pipeline challenge.
Listed below are the most recent updates:
Canada proclaims sanctions on Russia, deploys troops to Latvia
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has introduced a primary set of sanctions on Russia.
Underneath the plan, Canadians will probably be banned from from partaking in purchases of Russian sovereign debt, and from all monetary dealings with the insurgent areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.
Canada can even sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted for the choice to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk as impartial.
Two state-backed Russian banks can even be topic to extra sanctions.
Trudeau can be sending extra Canadian troops to japanese Europe, with as many as 460 members of the Canadian Armed Forces, principally to Latvia.
He mentioned Putin’s order to ship troops into japanese Ukraine was “a transparent incursion” of sovereignty.
“Make no mistake: this can be a additional invasion of a sovereign state and it’s completely unacceptable,” he mentioned, including it was “not too late” for Russia to hunt a diplomatic decision.
Satellite tv for pc photographs present new navy exercise
The US firm Maxar Applied sciences has launched a collection of recent satellite tv for pc photographs, which seem to indicate a contemporary deployment of greater than 100 navy autos and dozens of troop tents in southern Belarus close to the Ukraine border.
The pictures additionally included what Maxar mentioned was a brand new subject hospital, which has been added to a navy garrison in western Russia close to the border.
A satellite tv for pc picture reveals an outline of a subject hospital and a troop deployment in Belgorod in western Russia [Maxar Technologies via Reuters]‘The time for sanctions is now,’: Ukraine overseas minister
Ukraine’s Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba has welcomed the US sanctions towards Russian banks, calling on the world to make use of “all its financial would possibly to punish Russia”.
Talking alongside Blinken, Kuleba accused Putin of killing the Minsk Settlement that aimed to revive peace in japanese Ukraine together with his recognition of the 2 breakaway Ukrainian areas.
“Russia’s transfer is a grave breach of worldwide regulation and a brand new act of aggression towards Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Subsequently, Ukraine strongly believes that the time for sanctions is now,” he mentioned.
‘Not peacekeepers in any respect’: UN chief condemns Russia troop plan
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has rejected Russian claims that troops deployed to japanese Ukraine will probably be “peacekeepers”.
“When troops of 1 nation enter the territory of one other nation with out its consent, they aren’t neutral peacekeepers. They aren’t peacekeepers in any respect,” the UN secretary-general advised reporters in New York.
Guterres additionally dismissed Russia’s claims of a genocide going down towards ethnic Russians in japanese Ukraine.
“I don’t suppose it’s the case,” he mentioned.
Hey and welcome to Al Jazeera’s persevering with protection of the Ukraine-Russia disaster.
I’m Kate Mayberry in Kuala Lumpur.
Learn all of the updates from Tuesday, February 22, right here.
