Kyiv - Ukraine will introduce a nationwide state of emergency through which special restrictions will apply. The state of emergency will last for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days, Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine’s Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council told in a briefing.
The emergency is considered to keep the country calm and protect its economy amid fears of a Russian invasion. The Parliament must now vote to enact the decision.
Introducing a state of emergency gives powers to the authorities, who can choose which ones to implement. These could include restrictions on transport, extra protection for critical infrastructure and a ban on strikes.
Some lawmakers have advised the government to impose martial law, which would lead to harder restrictions, including bans on meetings, movements, and political parties.
Russia evacuates embassy
Russia began evacuating its embassy in Kyiv. Ukraine urged its citizens to leave Russia on Wednesday as the region braced for further confrontation after President Vladimir Putin received authorization to use military force outside his country and the West responded with sanctions.
Russia began pulling personnel from its diplomatic posts in Ukraine, state news agency Tass reported, a day after the Foreign Ministry announced a plan to evacuate, citing threats. By Wednesday afternoon, the Russian flag was no longer flying over the embassy in Kyiv, according to an Associated Press photographer. Police surrounded the building.
Putin ordered troops into the two separatist regions of Ukraine to "maintain peace". There is still no clear evidence that any new Russian forces have arrived. This morning Putin still insisted he was open to "direct and honest dialogue”; experts suggests though his actions in recent days could suggest the crisis will only continue to deepen.
Ukraine has urged its citizens to leave Russia immediately and has also mobilised reservists to reinforce the army. Ukraine's president called for tougher sanctions on Moscow , stating that the "future of European security" is being decided in his country's standoff with its neighbour.
On Tuesday, American outlet Bloomberg reported that US staff would be relocated to Poland. Other countries have opted to close their embassy in Kiev, such as the UK, which has relocated instead to Lviv in the west of the country.
Sanctions on Russia
The United States and its allies unveiled more sanctions against Russia on Wednesday. European Union sanctions that took effect today would add all members of Russia's lower house of parliament who voted to recognise the separatist regions in Ukraine to a blacklist, freezing their assets and banning travel.
Britain followed the United States in announcing new restrictions banning Russia from the issuing of new bonds in its security markets.
None of the measures announced so far directly targets President Vladimir Putin himself, or is expected to have severe medium-term consequences for Moscow, which is sitting on more than $630 billion in international reserves reported Reuters
-AP/BBC/Reuters