Putin Recognizes 2 Separatist Regions in Fiery Speech

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Vladimir V. Putin addressed the nation late on Monday, bitterly accusing Ukraine of being a “puppet” of the United States. The U.S. and E.U. said they would begin imposing limited sanctions.

Refugees from the separatist-held territories of East Ukraine watching an address by President Vladimir V. Putin from their hotel room on Monday in Taganrog, Russia. | Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times
MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin said he would recognize the independence of two Russian-backed territories in eastern Ukraine and warned the government of Ukraine that further bloodshed “will be fully and wholly” on its conscience, delivering an emotional and aggrieved address that set the stage for the possibility of Russian military action against Ukraine.

The White House responded by saying that President Biden will begin imposing limited economic sanctions on the two separatist regions, stopping short of imposing any penalties directly on Russia for now but vowing that more would come. Leaders of the European Union also condemned Putin’s move and said they will impose sanctions on those involved.

Immediately after the speech, state television showed Mr. Putin at the Kremlin signing decrees recognizing the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, which were created after Russia fomented a separatist war in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Mr. Putin also signed “friendship and mutual assistance” treaties, raising the possibility that Russia could move some of the forces it has built up around Ukraine’s borders into those territories. » | Anton Troianovski and Valerie Hopkins | Monday, February 21, 2022