Ukrainian president says 'we are not afraid' in 2 a.m. address to the nation after Russia ordered troops into eastern Ukraine

After Russia ordered troops into two rebel regions in eastern Ukraine, the President of the country, Volodymyr Zelensky, warned that the country would not concede anything to anyone.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Monday formally recognizing the two regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states and guaranteeing Russian support to the two regions, which are controlled in part by the Kremlin.

Hours later, Putin ordered troops into these regions.

Zelensky spoke in a televised address at 2 a.m. According to The Kyiv Independent, Russia's actions are a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. He said that Russia legalized the Russian forces that have been in the Donbas since the annexation of the peninsula. Russia denied having a military presence in the country.

The Ukrainian forces have been fighting the Russians in eastern Ukraine for eight years. All responsibility for the possible continuation of bloodshed will be on their conscience, as Putin warned when he demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities.

The first steps of a larger Russian military operation were viewed by some experts as Putin's remarks and actions.

More than 150,000 Russian troops and a significant amount of military hardware are positioned near the Ukrainian border after Russia ordered military personnel into eastern Ukraine.

In his address, the Ukrainian president said that his country is not afraid of Russia.

—Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 22, 2022

We are on the land. Zelensky said in his early morning address that they were not afraid of anyone and they would not concede anything to anyone.

He said that the military is more capable and tougher than it was in February of last year. There is a different army. There is a single goal: peace.

Insider was told that it is unlikely that the Ukrainian military would be able to survive a full-scale attack.

Zelensky said that it was important to see who was our real friend and partner and who would scare the Russian Federation with words.