On Thursday, Ukraine broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed a martial law across the national territory, a curfew in Kiev and decreed the general mobilization of all citizens willing to take up arms.

Ukraine’s measures responded to the military operations conducted by the Russian Armed Forces since Thursday in the autonomous Donbass region by virtue of a request for help from the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) in the face of the aggression against Kiev.

On February 21, Moscow recognized the independence and sovereignty of both territories and signed treaties of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with the heads of the DPR and LPR, which included establishing diplomatic relations and military aid.

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