Russia Faces Isolation at UN as West Imposes Sanctions over Ukraine Invasion

Strategic Insights -

As Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to cross into Moscow-controlled territories in eastern Ukraine, the country faced bitter condemnation at the United Nations, with key allies and even some African nations speaking out against its actions. The diplomatic fallout has been swift, with the US and UK imposing limited sanctions and warning of more to come. The situation remains tense, with reports of Russian armoured columns advancing into the Donetsk and Luhansk regions under the guise of "peacekeepers". Russia's decision to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics has been met with widespread criticism, with many viewing it as a precursor to a more sweeping invasion.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US and UK have imposed limited sanctions on Russia, with more expected to follow, citing concerns over the country's actions in Ukraine.
  • The Russian recognition of the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics has been widely condemned by the international community, with many viewing it as a precursor to a more sweeping invasion.
  • Russia faces isolation at the UN, with several key allies speaking out against its actions, including Kenya, Gabon, and Ghana, which abstained on a Ukraine-related vote just weeks earlier, but went on to condemn Russia's actions on Monday night.
  • Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, made a defiant late-night address to his nation, saying, "We are on our land. We don't fear anything or anyone. We don't owe anything to anyone. And we won't give anything up."
  • The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, cast doubt on Putin's assertion that the Russian troops would take on a "peacekeeping" role in the Donetsk and Lugansk areas, saying, "He calls them peacekeepers. This is nonsense. We know what they really are."
  • The Russian permanent representative, Vasily Nebenzya, repeated Moscow's unfounded claims that Ukraine was about to launch an attack on the eastern Moscow-backed enclaves, presented as a pretext for sending in Russian troops.
  • India, the United Arab Emirates, and Brazil avoided mentioning Russia at the council session while urging negotiations.
  • China's permanent representative, Zhang Yun, made a brief, non-committal statement, which observers said suggested that Beijing has yet to make up its mind on how to respond to Russia's actions.

Statistics:

  • Russian troops have reportedly entered separatist territory, with local people in the town of Makiivka, 15km west of rebel-held Donetsk, seeing what appeared to be Russian armoured vehicles on the move.
  • A convoy of Russian armoured personnel carriers and other equipment has been spotted travelling for one-and-a-half hours towards the city of Yasynuvata, also in the Donetsk region.
  • Ukraine has denied any plans for an offensive, and independent reporting has shown no signs that one is imminent.
  • The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, spoke to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Monday night, and according to the state department, "underscored the need to preserve Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
  • The US has withdrawn its remaining diplomats in Ukraine and deployed them to Poland, as Putin's move rattled markets around the world.

Sources:

  • Julian Borger in Washington and Andrew Roth in Moscow
  • Associated Press
  • Reuters
  • United Nations
  • State Department
  • Twitter (Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's foreign minister)