Russia's recognition of two breakaway regions has prompted an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, due to take place at 02:00 GMT in New York.

Multiple countries requested the meeting, with Ukraine demanding in a letter that its representatives be able to attend - although it is not one of the 15 nations that makes up the security council.

The meeting will be held in public.

But Russia, like the other four permanent members, has a veto on any resolutions, so it's not clear what the security council will be able to achieve.

Putin daring Western leaders to trigger sanctionspublished at 00:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 February 2022

00:53 GMT 22 February 2022

Paul Adams
BBC diplomatic correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Does the ordering of Russian troops into the “People’s Republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk represent the “further invasion” that Western leaders say will trigger massive sanctions?

It is not (yet) the full-scale attack that many fear, but it marks a significant escalation of this already dangerous crisis.

Few doubt that Russia has organised, equipped and controlled separatist fighters in the two areas since the outbreak of fighting eight years ago.

But this marks Russia’s first openly acknowledged involvement, albeit in what the Kremlin calls “peacekeeping functions”.

Needless to say, that is not how Ukraine or the rest of the world will see it. But is it enough for the West, finally, to unveil not just targeted sanctions but the sweeping package it’s been talking about for weeks?

Western leaders know it’s the only real lever they have, and now President Putin is daring them to pull it.

More from Ukraine's leader, who says that Russia's actions are destroying efforts towards peace and the existing process of international negotiations.

He says that Ukraine wants peace and supports a political and diplomatic settlement.

"We are not afraid", he declares, adding that his country is waiting for clear and effective steps of support from its international partners.

Zelensky vows that Ukraine will not give anything to anyone.

In an address to the nation in the early hours of Tuesday morning, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says the actions of the Russian federation are a violation of the integrity and sovereignty of the territory Ukraine.

He says Ukraine's international borders will remain as they are no matter what Russia's statements.

Australian PM Scott Morrison has been giving his response to the latest developments in Ukraine on an election visit to Tasmania.

He's dismissive of Vladimir Putin's claim that he is sending troops to separatist areas for a peacekeeping mission.

The "suggestion they are peacekeeping is nonsense", he says.

He says he hopes that diplomatic efforts can avoid a violent confrontation and says he will be "in lock-step" with other countries in quickly putting in place sanctions on Russia.

"Russia should step back. It should unconditionally withdraw. It's unacceptable, it's unprovoked, it's unwarranted," he says.

Katya Adler
Europe Editor

Known for his divide and rule tactics, President Putin's actions have actually served to bring Western allies closer together.

French President Macron pronounced Nato as "brain dead" not long ago. The Ukraine crisis means no-one is saying that now.

Working together on diplomacy and sanctions has brought the EU and US closer after strained relations following the Trump Administration.

And EU-UK cooperation over Ukraine is smooth, too - post Brexit irritations very much put to one side.

But, depending now on what happens in Ukraine, how long will this unity last?

Inside the EU, not all member states agree exactly which sanctions to impose when.

This is because some EU countries will be affected more than others by sanctions. Energy prices are a huge concern.

Germany, Italy, Hungary and others - heavily reliant on Russian gas - are biting their nails nervously.

Image source, Reuters

The Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics proclaimed their independence in 2014 - soon after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula.

Ukraine and its Western allies have repeatedly accused Russia of stoking the unrest and sending weapons and fighters to the rebels, who now control large swathes of the region known as Donbas.

Moscow has always denied the accusations.

In 2014-15 peace agreements were signed - but they have failed to stop the fighting completely. In the past few days there has been a marked increase in shelling.

Hundreds of thousands of people have left the rebel-held areas, but it thought that as many as four million still live there. An estimated 14,000 people - including many civilians - have died since 2014.

On BBC Newsnight, we've been hearing from Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, Vadym Prystaiko, who had just been on a conference call with the UK prime minister and his own nation's president.

He tells the BBC that he believes "the incursion has already started" and the Russians "are entering as we speak".

Asked by presenter Mark Urban about whether he was worried that Russians might go further than the separatist regions in Ukraine and invade large parts of the country or head to the capital Kyiv, he says he is concerned.

“I was listening to Putin for almost an hour of this historic debate with himself," Prystaiko says.

"And I have to tell you when a nuclear nation is calling your nation a historical mistake which has to be fixed, yes, you have to be worried about what he has in mind.”

A key moment for Ukraine in how its allies respondpublished at 23:15 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February 2022

23:15 GMT 21 February 2022

Sarah Rainsford
BBC Eastern Europe Correspondent, Kyiv

Sombre, worried and angry is the mood here in Ukraine today.

Things have moved so quickly we haven’t had an official response yet. President Volodymyr Zelensky is having a meeting of his security council right now - we’re expecting some kind of statement in the early hours of the morning.

We have heard from other politicians - they are of course extremely worried, calling on Ukraine’s allies in the West to stop what they see as an almost unstoppable Russian advance, with some of them warning of the possibility even of a world war.

So, very strong language coming from politicains here in Ukraine.

If this is Russia testing the resolve of the West, this really is a key moment as far as Ukraine is concerned in terms of how its allies respond.

Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly has also condemned President Putin's recognition of the separatist regions, calling it "a serious threat to the security and stability of the region".

She says Canada and its allies will "react firmly to this blatant disregard for international law", and is preparing to impose economic sanctions - separate to those which would be introduced if there is "any further military invasion" of Ukraine.

"Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," she says.

Image source, Reuters

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is also among the world leaders to have placed a call to express his support to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Downing Street said Johnson outlined his "grave concern" and said he believed "an invasion was a real possibility in the coming hours and days".

He condemed the Russian decision to recognise the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, and said UK sanctions against those "complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity" would begin tomorrow, a spokesman said.

Johnson also said the UK would "explore sending further defensive support" to Ukraine, Downing Street added - having last month sent a shipment of short-range anti-tank missiles to bolster the country's defences.

Image source, EPA

Here's a recap of the key points from Russian President Vladimir Putin's earlier address to the nation - in which he said Moscow would recognise the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in eastern Ukraine as independent states:

• In the lengthy speech, Putin railed against Ukraine, calling it a US colony with a puppet regime
• He said "Ukraine never had a tradition of genuine statehood" and that modern Ukraine had been "created" by Russia
• He attacked the idea of Ukraine joining the Nato defensive alliance, saying it would serve as "a direct threat to the security of Russia"
• Putin also repeated his argument that Nato had ignored Russian security concerns
• He ended the speech by saying Russia would recognise the rebel-held territories, warning that Ukraine must stop firing at rebel positions or face the consequences

During his speech, Putin provided no evidence to back up most of his assertions.

Shortly afterwards, he signed two decrees on recognising the rebel entities. The documents say the Russian armed forces will "perform peacekeeping functions" there.

They do not specify exactly what that could mean - but experts in Ukraine and Russia argue that Putin can now "officially" send Russian troops to the rebel-held areas of Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of his government's Cobra emergency meeting at 06:30 GMT on Tuesday to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine, a No 10 spokesperson says.

Ukraine has called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council over Russia’s "illegal actions", the country's foreign minister says on Twitter., external

Dmytro Kuleba adds: "We have already sent the request to the Council".

This raises fears of a major military escalationpublished at 22:41 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February 2022

22:41 GMT 21 February 2022

Steve Rosenberg
BBC Moscow Correspondent

It was Moscow that basically created these rebel republics years ago, after Russia first intervened militarily in eastern Ukraine.

But Vladimir Putin’s official recognition of their independence is a watershed moment.

First of all, it basically kills off the internationally recognised peace process that Putin recommitted himself to just a few days ago.

It also raises fears of a major military escalation in eastern Ukraine.

And, from the decree that he signed, it’s clear that Vladimir Putin is already sending troops into those rebel republics.

We've got some further lines from UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss now.

In a tweet, external, she says during a phone call with European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the pair agreed that Britain and the EU will "coordinate to deliver swift sanctions against Putin’s regime and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine".

She adds , externalshe has also spoken to Ukraine's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba to offer her "full support" and discuss the sanctions the UK will be enforcing against Russia with allies.

The White House says US President Joe Biden has called his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky to condemn Russia's decision to recognise separatist regions in the east of the country.

Biden spoke to him "to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity", the White House says., external

He also told the Ukrainian president that the US plans to impose sanctions, and said he would respond "swiftly and decisively, in lock-step with its allies and partners", to any further aggression from Russia.

The White House also says Biden had calls with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss how to coordinate their response.

Turkey is urging its citizens in eastern Ukraine to leave the region in light of the Kremlin's decree on Donetsk and Luhansk.

In a tweet , externalon Tuesday evening, Turkey's foreign ministry writes that the country's citizens are "strongly advised" to leave the area.

Turkey, which is a Nato member, shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, and has called for a peaceful solution to the crisis.

It has also offered to mediate the conflict.

President Putin says he has taken an "overdue" decision to recognise the sovereignty of the breakaway Ukrainian regions. Watch his comments, made in a televised speech, here.

A later written statement said Russian troops would perform "peacekeeping functions" there.

We've also got reaction from French President Emmanuel Macron and the Germany foreign ministry to Russia's recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock says the decision by Russia "‘represents a blatant breach of international law and a heavy blow against all diplomatic efforts for a peaceful settlement and a political solution to the current conflict".

She says years of diplomatic efforts have been "destroyed deliberately and without apparent reason".

"We demand that Russia reverses its decision and returns to the path of diplomatic and political conflict resolution," she says.

A statement from Macron's office says: "It is clearly a unilateral violation of international commitments by Russia and a breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty."

The French president is asking for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and the implementation of targeted sanctions by European countries, the statement says.