Recognizing The Independence Of The Donetsk And Luganks Regions, President Putin Sends Troops To Eastern Ukraine

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine as independent territories on Monday, ordering Russian troops to launch what Moscow calls a peacekeeping operation into the region, accelerating a crisis the West fears could spark a major war.

President Putin told Russia's Defense Ministry to deploy troops to the two regions to maintain peace, in a decree issued shortly after announcing recognition for Russia-backed separatists there, drawing criticism from the United States and Europe with threats of new sanctions.

It was not immediately clear whether Russia's military action would be seen by the West as a prelude to the invasion of Ukraine, which the United States and its allies have been warning about for weeks, since the area was seized by Russian and Moscow-backed separatists that year.

There was no word on the number of forces President Putin sent, but the decree said Russia now had the right to establish military bases in the breakaway region. Meanwhile, the mission of the troops is to establish peace.

In a lengthy televised address filled with grievances against the West, President Putin, visibly angry, described Ukraine as an integral part of Russian history. He said eastern Ukraine was ancient Russian land and he was sure the Russian people would support his decision.

Russian state television showed President Putin, joined by Russian-backed separatist leaders, signing a decree recognizing the independence of the two breakaway regions of Ukraine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, and the Lugansk People's Republic, along with treaties of cooperation and friendship.

Defying Western warnings against such a move, President Putin had announced his decision in previous phone calls to the leaders of Germany and France, which the Kremlin said disappointed the leaders of the two countries.

In his speech, President Putin delved into history as far back as the Ottoman empire and tensions over NATO's eastward expansion, things that deeply trouble Moscow in the current crisis.

In his decision, President Putin dismissed Western warnings that such a move would be illegal, stifling peace negotiations and triggering sanctions.

"I consider it necessary to make a decision that should have been made a long time ago, to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic," President Putin said.

He said earlier, "if Ukraine joins NATO, it will be a direct threat to Russia's security."

President Putin has worked for years to restore Russia's influence over countries that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with Ukraine holding an important place in his ambitions.

Russia denies plans to attack its neighbor but has threatened unspecified "military-technical" action unless it receives comprehensive security guarantees, including a promise that Ukraine will never join NATO.

The recognition of separatist-controlled territory paved the way for President Putin to send military forces there, arguing that he was intervening as an ally to protect the separatists from Ukrainian forces.

However, this move would narrow down diplomatic options for avoiding war, as it constitutes an explicit rejection of a seven-year truce mediated by France and Germany, which was touted as a framework for future negotiations on the broader crisis.