Ukraine has urged its citizens to leave Russia and has slapped sanctions on hundreds of Russians as war fears rise.
In an advisory note issued on Wednesday, Ukraine’s foreign ministry recommended that nationals “refrain from any trips” to the country and said those who were already there should depart “immediately”.
The warning came as Ukraine’s parliament approved imposing sanctions on 351 Russians, including lawmakers who supported President Vladimir Putin’s move to recognise eastern Ukraine’s self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics as independent and deploy troops to the breakaway regions.
Putin ‘tightening the screws on Ukraine’
Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith, reporting from Moscow, says Putin is “continuing to tighten the screws on Ukraine”.
“He [Putin] says the two states that they have now recognised [the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics] are being recognised on embassy levels and Russia says it is also evacuating its diplomatic staff from Ukraine to protect their lives,” he said.
“Putin has also praised the battle-readiness of Russian troops,” Smith added.
Ukraine’s parliament votes to give permission for civilians to carry firearms
Ukraine’s parliament has voted to approve in the first reading a draft law which gives permission to Ukrainians to carry firearms and act in self-defence.
“The adoption of this law is fully in the interests of the state and society,” the authors of the draft law said in a note, adding that the law was needed due to “existing threats and dangers for the citizens of Ukraine”.
