As
Russia recognised rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk as independent and sent
military forces to support them, tensions flared up in Ukraine. On Thursday,
Max Technologies released satellite images of Russian military deployments 10
miles from the Ukraine border. As a massive war seems on the cards, Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, stressed that he tried to reach out
to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Kremlin could “start a major war in Europe,” he
warned.

Also Read: Satellite images reveal new deployments by Russia on Ukraine border

Here
are 10 latest developments on Ukraine-Russia tensions:

1.
“Written requests have come through for Russian President Vladimir Putin
from Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the Luhansk People’s Republic, and Denis
Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” Kremlin spokesman
Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying in reports. The rebel leaders thanked
Russia, Peskov said, adding that “Kiev is continuing its military buildup
along the line of disengagement” and “republics are experiencing the
destruction of civil and industrial infrastructure, schools, hospitals, and
kindergartens”.

Also Read: Ukraine capital Kyiv mayor declares city emergency

2.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has said that his country “is not a threat
to Russia”. Hours after the declaration of the national emergency in
Ukraine, he underlined, “The people of Ukraine and the government of
Ukraine want peace. But if the nation comes under an attack, we will fight
back.”

Also Read: Russia closes flight paths along Ukraine border

3.
“There was no answer, only silence”, Zelenskyy said on his attempts to
talk to Putin to stop a “major war in Europe”.

4.
Five blasts were heard early on Thursday in the rebel-held eastern Ukraine
city of Donetsk, Reuters reported.

Also Read: Allies watch for Kremlin attempt to justify Russia’s Ukraine invasion

5.
Cyberattacks continued to disrupt Ukraine as Russia continued to deploy forces
at the borders. Hundreds of computers were hit across the country with malware.

6.
The European Union has imposed sanctions against Russian defence minister
Sergei Shoigu and military chiefs. The EU froze Russian assets and imposed visa
bans on Russians. There have also been bans introduced on the commanders of
Russia’s army, navy and air force by the 27-nation bloc.

Also Read: UNSC to hold emergency meeting on Russia at Ukraine’s plea

7.
In growing support at the United Nations, countries including China that has
usually backed Russia – spoke for Ukraine’s sovereignty. “Ukraine, you’re not
alone,” Bulgarian Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva said.

8.
The US has accused Russia and China of trying to create a profoundly
“illiberal world order”. “We think that Russia and the PRC also
want a world order. But this is an order that is and would be profoundly
illiberal, an order that stands in contrast to the system that countries around
the world … have built in the last seven decades. It is an order that is in
many ways destructive, rather than additive,” US State Department
spokesperson Ned Price said.

Also Read: In Ukraine’s volatile east, a day of shelling, outages, fear

9.
Tensions flared up earlier this week as Russia recognised the rebel regions as
independent in a violation of the 2015 peace plan – a move that also allowed
Kremlin to allow troops in Ukraine.

10.
What followed was a series of sanctions by nations across the world on Russia
and global condemnation. Ukraine on Wednesday announced a 30-day emergency.