Ukraine’s president says Russia's recognition of breakaway regions 'violation of sovereignty'

By Jeyhun Aliyev

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AA) - Russia’s decision to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent states is a "violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said early Tuesday in an address.

All responsibility for the consequences of Moscow's decision lies with Russia, said Zelensky.

"The truth is with us," he stressed, adding they "are not afraid" amid Russia's recognition of separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Noting that recognizing the separatists means unilaterally exiting the Minsk agreements and ignoring the decisions taken in the Normandy Format, Zelensky said the decision undermines peace efforts.

The move came after Russian President Vladimir Putin officially recognized Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions as independent states Monday and signed the relevant agreements with their separatist leaders in the Kremlin.

The US, UK, UN, Turkiye and several European nations strongly condemned Moscow’s move.

Tensions have recently risen dramatically in eastern Ukraine, with reports of a growing number of cease-fire violations, multiple shelling incidents, and the evacuation of civilians from the pro-Russian breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Western countries have accused Russia of amassing more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, prompting fears that it could be planning a military offensive against its former Soviet neighbor.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any plan to invade Ukraine and instead accused Western countries of undermining Russia's security through NATO's expansion toward its borders.