Kiev, Europe Brief News – Ukrainian authorities have called on its nationals living in Russia to leave the country immediately as tension escalates.
Up to three million Ukrainians live in Russia, and many people have family in both countries.
A state of emergency is to be declared in Ukraine, lasting 30 days, the country’s top security official says.
Ukraine is also conscripting reservists into the regular military as it braces for a possible invasion by its neighbour.
Western countries and their allies have earlier imposed sanctions on Russian banks and MPs, as the crisis escalates
Russia has earlier ordered troops into two breakaway regions of eastern Ukrainian borders run by Moscow-backed separatists.
But it’s not clear if any new Russian troops deployed into the two regions, run by Moscow-backed separatists.
In a fiery televised speech on Monday, Putin argued Ukraine has no history of being a true nation.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky, in his own late-night speech, said Ukraine is not afraid and will not yield anything to anyone.
The US and its allies rang the alarm that Russia could invade Ukraine, with countries ordering citizens to leave Kyiv.
The Kremlin has dismissed Western “hysteria” over a feared Russian invasion of Ukraine with more than 100,000 troops amassed on three sides of Ukraine.
