Ukraine's Parliament approves state of emergency

The Ukrainian Parliament on Wednesday, February 23, 2022, approved a declaration of a state of emergency in the entire Ukraine except for two eastern regions where it has been in place since 2014.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskiy proposed introducing a nationwide state of emergency earlier on Wednesday, as the country braces for a possible large scale military offensive from Russia.

The move follows Russian President Vladimir Putin’s move Monday to recognise the independence of two rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, where a nearly eight-year conflict with the pro-Russia rebels has left over 14,000 dead. Putin has sanctioned the deployment of Russian troops there to “maintain peace” and received a parliamentary approval to use military force outside the country.

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly voiced concerns that Russia could try destabilise Ukraine by relying on Moscow supporters inside the country, including a pro-Russia political party in Parliament.