Russian forces have launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine as President Vladimir Putin demanded Kyiv’s army lay down its weapons.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday Russia is attacking his country’s “military infrastructure” and border guards. In a brief televised address to the nation, he called for martial law and pledged victory.
Tensions over the Ukraine-Russia crisis have been simmering for months, with diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue showing no sign of progress.
cent events.
November 2021
Satellite imagery shows a new build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, and Kyiv says Moscow has mobilised 100,000 soldiers along with tanks and other military hardware.
December 7, 2021
US President Joe Biden warns Russia of sweeping Western economic sanctions if it invades Ukraine.
December 17, 2021
Russia presents detailed security demands to the West, including that NATO ceases all military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine and that the alliance never accept Ukraine or other former Soviet nations as members.
January 3, 2022
Biden reassures Zelenskyy that the US will “respond decisively” if Russia invades Ukraine.
The two men speak on the phone to discuss preparations for a series of upcoming diplomatic meetings to address the crisis.
January 10, 2022
US and Russian officials meet in Geneva for diplomatic talks but differences remain unresolved as Moscow repeats security demands that Washington says it cannot accept.
January 24, 2022
NATO puts forces on standby and reinforces its military presence in Eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets. Some Western nations start evacuating non-essential embassy staff from Kyiv. The US puts 8,500 soldiers on alert.
January 26, 2022
Washington presents a written response to Russia’s security demands, repeating a commitment to NATO’s “open-door” policy while offering a “principled and pragmatic evaluation” of Moscow’s concerns.
January 27, 2022
Biden warns of a likely Russian invasion in February. China throws its political weight behind Russia and tells the US that Moscow’s “legitimate security concerns” should be “taken seriously”.
January 28, 2022
Putin says Russia’s main security demands have not been addressed but that Moscow is ready to continue with talks.
Zelenkskyy warns the West to avoid creating “panic” that will negatively affect his country’s economy.
January 31, 2022
The US and Russia spar over the Ukraine crisis at a special closed session of the UN Security Council.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield tells the council a Russian invasion of Ukraine would threaten global security.
Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya accuses Washington and its allies of drumming up the threat of war despite Moscow’s repeated denials of a planned invasion.
“The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen,” Nebenzya says.
February 1, 2022
Putin denies planning an invasion and accuses the US of ignoring his country’s security demands.
Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya accuses Washington and its allies of drumming up the threat of war despite Moscow’s repeated denials of a planned invasion.
“The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen,” Nebenzya says.
February 1, 2022
Putin denies planning an invasion and accuses the US of ignoring his country’s security demands.
“It is already clear that fundamental Russian concerns ended up being ignored,” he says.
February 6, 2022
Russia has established 70 percent of the military build-up it needs to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the US officials cited anonymously in US media.
February 8, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron meets Putin for marathon talks in Moscow and tells reporters Russia will not escalate the Ukraine crisis.
However, the Kremlin denies that Macron and Putin struck a deal on de-escalating the crisis. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says that “in the current situation, Moscow and Paris can’t be reaching any deals”.
Aljazeera
