Putin Declares 6,500 Square Miles of Ukraine Is No Longer Ukraine

Many fear that President Putin's declaration that two parts of Eastern Ukraine should be considered independent states could lead to all-out war.

In an address to his nation on Monday, the Russian president formally announced the recognition of the pro-Kremlin regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent of Ukraine.

He blamed the Ukrainian forces for any future bloodshed in those regions.

Putin criticized NATO and the U.S. for failing to address security threats raised by the Kremlin.

The Russian leader said that joining NATO would be a threat to the security of Russia. He undermined Ukraine as a country that has never had a tradition of statehood, and he warned of Western efforts.

Putin appeared to be laying the groundwork for war by describing a potential Russian military offensive as an act of self-defense. He said that Moscow has the right to retaliate to ensure its own security. That is what we will do.

The move follows a spectacularly bizarre meeting by Russia's Security Council, where Putin appeared like a mob boss testing his underlings, as officials, one after another, spoke out in favor of recognizing the self-proclaimed republics.

On a day when the drum beats of war grew deafening, it was another grotesque spectacle. The aggressive and totally unwarranted territorial claim followed a series of false-flag operations where the Russians tried to blame Ukrainian forces for attacks.

The Russian military claimed that five people were killed after crossing into Russia from Ukraine.

The Biden administration warned that false flags could be used as a pretext to launch an invasion of Russia.

The Russian military said in a statement that five people who violated the Russian border from a group of saboteurs were killed. No Russians died in the alleged border violation. Russia said that Ukraine had destroyed a border outpost used by the Federal Security Service.

Russia claims that Ukrainian forces are attacking Luhansk.

There were no attacks or incursions by Ukraine. The Minister of Foreign affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, dismissed the claims with big red, denying an attack on Luhansk, or that it sent saboteurs over the Russian border.

The recognition of the two separatist territories in #Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, the territorial integrity of Ukraine and the #Minsk agreements.

The EU and its partners will react with unity, firmness and with determination in solidarity with Ukraine.

The leaders of the Luhansk People's Republic appealed to Putin to recognize their independence after the latest round of Ukrainian aggression.

Despite a flurry of last-minute attempts at diplomacy, all hell seems to break loose in Ukraine.

Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security advisor, warned Monday that Russia's imminent attack on Ukraine could begin at any moment.

He told NBC Today show on President's Day that any military operation of this size, scope and magnitude of what the Russians are planning will be extremely violent.

He told the network that the new intelligence suggests that Russia will target the Ukrainian people.

He told ABC Good Morning America that there were signs that President Putin and the Russians were going to execute a major military invasion of Ukraine.

The French President invited Biden and Putin to a summit, but the Kremlin called the reports premature.

Sullivan said that any attack on Ukraine would be met with a full force of American and Allied might. The video was posted on the social networking site and showed a fuel station burning on the front line as civilians fled.

According to a statement by the European Union Council, the European Union approved an emergency package with over a billion dollars to support Ukraine.

Neil Cavuto returned to the air after a five week absence due to a battle with COPD.

On his Fox Business Network show, which has featured a rotation of fill-in hosts while he was off-air for previously undisclosed reasons, Cavuto declared Monday morning that he was back.

He confirmed that I got Covid again, but a far, far more serious strand. Sorry to let you down!

The fully-vaccinated Cavuto took shots at the anti-vaxers who might suggest the jab got him sick, as well as the people who were not fully-vaccinated.

The vaccine did not cause that. There is a grassy knoll theory. My immune system was compromised. He explained that he is among the vulnerable three percent of the population that cannot sustain the full benefits of a vaccine.

He continued his fight against the deadly virus. How frightening? Ponderosa was out of the prime rib in the middle of the buffet line. I'm not here to debate vaccinations. Provide an explanation for me. I owe you that.

The network's viewers were urged to get their vaccines by the host after he tested positive for the virus. Stop the suffering. Please get the vaccine.