Russia ‘starts evacuating diplomats’ from Ukraine as war fears grow
Ukraine has urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately.
Russia has started to evacuate its diplomatic personnel from Ukraine as the two nations brace for further confrontation.
Hopes for a diplomatic way out of a potentially devastating war are fading after Vladimir Putin received authorisation to use military force outside his country last night and the West began imposing sanctions.
Allies of Ukraine have accused the Russian president of breaking international law by recognising two separatist-backed eastern regions as independent states and sending in troops.
The move has been referred to as the beginning of an invasion by officials in the UK and US.
Moscow has insisted it does not want to break off diplomatic relations with Kyiv.
However, it began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine today, state news agency Tass reported, in a sign of worsening relations.
The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously announced a plan to evacuate diplomatic staff, citing threats.
By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kyiv, according to an Associated Press photographer. Police surrounded the building.
After weeks of trying to project calm, Ukrainian authorities also signalled increasing concern on Wednesday.
The Foreign Ministry advised citizens against travel to Russia and recommended anyone there leave immediately, saying Moscow’s ‘aggression’ could lead to a significant reduction in consular services.
The head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council also called for a nationwide state of emergency – subject to parliamentary approval.
Oleksiy Danilov said it will be up to regional authorities to determine which measures to apply, but they could include additional protection for public facilities, restrictions on traffic, and more transport and document checks.
It was the latest in a series of signs of escalating tensions, after Kyiv recalled its ambassador to Russia and considered breaking all diplomatic ties with Moscow.
Countries around the world have announced sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs amid fears Europe is heading for its bloodiest conflict since World War Two.
The UK has also announced it will be providing greater military support to Ukraine, in the form of defensive weapons and non-lethal aid.
But MPs from all sides have said the measures do not go far enough.
Elsewhere, Germany halted a lucrative pipeline deal and the US repositioned additional troops to Nato’s eastern flank bordering Russia.
The threat of war has shredded Ukraine’s economy and raised the spectre of massive casualties, energy shortages across Europe and global economic chaos.
Leaders around the world fear the worst is yet to come. Putin has still not unleashed the 150,000 troops massed on three sides of its border with Ukraine.
The US and UK have said tougher sanctions which could cause economic turmoil for Russia would go ahead if there is further aggression.
But the Russian ambassador in the US, Anatoly Antonov, retorted that ‘sanctions cannot solve a thing’, adding: ‘It is hard to imagine that there is a person in Washington who expects Russia to revise its foreign policy under a threat of restrictions.’
In Ukraine’s east, where an eight-year conflict between Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed nearly 14,000 people, violence also spiked again.
One Ukrainian soldier was killed and six more sustained injuries after shelling by the rebels, Ukrainian military said.
Separatist officials reported several explosions on their territory overnight and three civilian deaths
What are the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?
After weeks of rising tensions, Putin took a series of steps this week that dramatically raised the stakes.
First, he recognised the independence of two separatist-held regions in Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk.
Then he said that recognition extends even to the large parts of the territories held by Ukrainian forces, including the major Azov Sea port of Mariupol.
Finally, he asked for and was granted permission to use military force outside Russia – effectively formalising a military deployment to the rebel regions.
He suggested there was a way out of the crisis – if Kyiv would recognise Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, and renounced its bid to join Nato.
Both demands have been previously rejected by Ukraine and the West.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.