{O/C} Germany has put an end to the certification of the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline.
This, in response to Moscow's declaration of independence of two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
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This comes as Western leaders discussed punitive measures against Russia in the event Moscow invades Ukraine.
And Western leaders have discerned some bellwethers regarding a full-fledged invasion. Russian troops have allegedly entered rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine.
Here's more on today's latest revelations that prompted Western leaders' latest moves.
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The Russian President has allegedly ordered Russian troops to enter rebel-held areas in eastern Ukraine after asserting their independence.
Recognising the two separatist enclaves in eastern Ukraine, Western leaders alleged, is a pretext for war.
A top EU official attested to this fact, but stopped short of terming it an invasion.
Russia, despite running the gauntlet of Western powers, stoked tensions even further by saying a few areas held by Ukrainian forces are independent as well.
As the interminable and perilous Ukraine crisis stretches into another day, there were those clairvoyant and hell-bent on forestalling an incursion.
British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has vowed to slap Russia with a barrage of debilitating economic sanctions. He said Putin appears poised to invade anytime.
{Soundbite} BORIS JOHNSON, U.K. Prime Minister: We will immediately introduce a package of economic sanctions. This is, I should stress, just the first barrage of UK economic sanctions against Russia. President Putin is indeed bent, as you said just now, on a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Boris Johnson further added Russia is not hewing to international laws.
Amid a tense atomsphere befitting any imminent wars, world leaders berated Russia as they strive to snuff out a war.
Germany made the most significant move, pulling the plug on the authorisation of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, a lucrative deal Russia has been eyeing, albeit criticised by the U.S. for being over-reliant on Russian energy supplies. The country had long resisted this move.
With a confrontation able to sully Western powers' good reputation, sanctions were the only option to crystallise their wrath.
{Soundbite} LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.: My Russian counterpart made assertions without evidence that demonstrate their efforts to create a pretext for conflict. And it's alarming.
In recent weeks, Western estimates have at least 150,000 Russian troops drawing a noose around Ukraine. This had Western leaders calling Russia mendacious because of its earlier claim that it had withdrawn some troops from the border.
After all, the latest revelations are expected to send the world out of kilter.
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