Russia’s actions
in Ukraine have prompted a strong response from the United Kingdom with the
government getting ready to impose sanctions on the Vladimir Putin-led nation.
UK health secretary Sajid Javid told Sky News that Russia has already sent in
tanks and troops into Ukraine signalling an invasion.

“We are waking up
to a very dark day in Europe. It’s clear from what we have already seen and
found out today that Russia’s President Putin has decided to attack the
sovereignty of Ukraine and its territorial integrity,” the UK health secretary
said, adding that the UK has always said this was “unacceptable”.

Also Read | ‘Unacceptable’: World leaders condemn Russia on Ukraine

The UK’s strong
response comes after the Russian President, Monday, decided to recognise the independence
of two separatist regions – Donetsk and Luhansk – from Ukraine. The Kremlin is
also said to have dispatched troops to the regions for “peacekeeping” purposed.
The US and its allies have viewed the dispatch of troops as the beginning of an
invasion.

Liz Truss, UK’s
foreign secretary, has said sanctions on Russia would be announced “in response
to their breach of international law and attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and
territorial integrity”. Several of UK’s allies, including the US and France have
echoed calls for sanctions and condemned Vladimir Putin’s move.

Also Read | Analysis: Putin’s take on history may lay groundwork for war

A couple of days
ago, French President Emmanuel Macron made it seem possible that the United
States President Joe Biden and Putin might be in a summit together to discuss
de-escalation. The fate of the summit remains unclear. A United States official
told CNN the summit seems unlikely.

Also Read | Ukraine crises: Biden-Putin summit unlikely, says official

“Our strong sense,
based on everything we are seeing on the ground in the areas around Ukraine to
the north, to the east, to the south, is that Russia is continuing to prepare
for military action that could take place in the coming hours or days,” CNN
reported the official as saying.

Also Read | Russia’s claim of sending ‘peacekeepers’ to Ukraine is ‘nonsense’: US envoy to UN

Meanwhile, China,
which has largely stood by Russia on the Ukraine question, has called for restraint.
In a statement released Tuesday, Beijing called upon all parties to exercise
restraint and added that legitimate security concerns of any country should be
respected.

Also Read | Ukraine president to nation: ‘We are not afraid of anyone’

On the other hand,
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of violating the east
European nation’s territorial integrity. “…we are on our own land, we are not
afraid of anything and anybody, we owe nothing to no one, and we will give
nothing to no one,” the Ukrainian President said.