right, a plethora of exotic species. i mean natural cages to stress and swelter under the sun. ah brushes, foreign minister question ukraine sovereignty writes off to moscow declares it's recognising to break away regions, ask independence. ukraine's president warns russia's moves show. it's preparing for further military assault. ah ha, again, i money inside you watch now to 0. continuing coverage of the ukraine crisis columns of russian almond vehicles as seen on the move in ukraine's disputed

regions just hours after moscow's declaration. ah rushes foreign minister has questioned whether ukraine has a right to sovereignty, saying the government in kiev doesn't represent the entire country. second, labranz remarks follow president vladimir putin declaration recognizing 2 disputed ukrainian regions as being independent. president putin also ordered troops into new hands and done yet for what he has described as a peacekeeping operation. while these regions and encompass dumbass, where separatists have been fighting against ukrainian forces since 2014. well, his all coverage team, the sal, we've got our diplomats again, it's james phase is standing by for us in vienna. he'll tell us about any new sanctions expected against russia. we have charl stratford who's on the front lines

in easton, ukraine, and we have andrew simmons in kia fest. let's tend to dorsey jabari, who is in moscow for us. let's start with those comments, by se galeb rove who we've had from in the last hour saying ukraine doesn't have a right to sovereignty such comments. don't bode well for anyone thinking that diplomacy is still an option. do they? well, certainly not, but i think the russian foreign minister was making a, the argument that has been made by the russian presidents that they are interpreting a certain article within the un charter and to really justify the reason for them declaring a recognizing independence of these i to break away regents, i think it's important to also highlight that to these state legislature, the duma in moscow just in the past hour has ratified the presidential documents

that latimer put in signed last night. and they have recognized as the independent states of done yet. and begins with in the borders that there are leaderships and say that they are in control of. and i think this is an important point. if we look at a map of that area at the leadership's in those regions say they control based on the constitution that they have, say they control at most of that region. whereas in a reality on the ground that they are in control of about 30 percent. but in theory they control much of the area in dumbass. and i think this is a very significant develop. and because the deputy foreign minister here has says that they are recognizing where the borders to be, where the leadership of the republic republics exercise, authority and jurisdiction. according to the leadership, they exercise authority and jurisdiction over the entire dumbass region,

which is something the ukrainian officials are likely to dispute. but as far as the officials here are concerned that they say that they recognize those borders that they are claimed by the leadership. there whereas we've been hearing from sir gay lover of, i think his points are very important as well. he has said that they are really this is as a result of the minsk agreement of 2015 being dead for several years. and it is as a risk doing at the hands of the key of government, not something the russians will have a pardon. i think we are now entering very much a great territory in terms of international law. and i think it's being used as interpreted in a certain way here to explain why the decisions are being made the way they are. there industry are very interesting stuff. thank you. daughter jabari there for us in moscow or ukraine's president has warned russia's recognition off the ti breakaway regents is a pre cast and too far that military assault. but,

but the lamb was speeding in budge in as sure as his case collected of glow. greeny rushes escalation against ukraine is a challenge, not only from ukraine, but europe and the world as a whole. in ukraine, europe, security is being decided like european the world cannot afford the mistakes committed back in georgia in 2009. we demand new sanctions against russian aggression and it should include a full stop to the north stream gas pipeline. he bullied as guide to clear and spin, sell cars on an anti simmons and present zalinski. they're talking in the last hour he was with the estonian president. what else they have to say a significance well, he told me that he talked about really the what's happening in the ukraine now relates to the security of europe. he also said, don't let georgia happen again. 2008. russia invaded georgia. busy 20 percent of the country is still occupied by russia, and also he warned that there has to be more action taken by

other powers, mainly on sanctions. you heard that clip about not stream gas than not screen gas pipeline. now, germany could actually cut that line. could actually stop the gas, it would have a profound effect on the german economy has to be said, but it would also have a massive, in fact, in subs the economy on russia or the united states may be making moves on on sanctions. clear ones. but they're pretty unclear. busy when it comes to the european union, much more complex, he was pushing very hard on this. he said that what russia has done is it's legalized it's presence in the to break away republics. and what we're hearing now is that there are other lou to legalize a whole range of things such as the. busy russians backing up the border, having joint of military operations

a joint sir military operations also anywhere in the region. there is further a corporation on a number of other civic matters. but another disturbing aspect to some is the calling up the compulsory calling up of anybody over the age any men over the age. busy of 18 am. so basically what's happening now is that the ukraine is, is trying to hunker down and hold its position. but the question is, what will the russians do that. busy clearly are moving into this area on the basis a premise that it's a peacekeeping operation, where they were as the ukrainians here in the capital say anything but. and also that there is a, has to be said. there is a feeling that europe has to do more here, has to do more to help diplomatically. he's very grateful for what's happened. but as we heard in the european security conference in,

in munich that the weekend on saturday, he was making the point where not a charity. you know, thanks very much for the donations, but we're not a charity. we need to stand up against what is one of the largest armies in the world and, and therefore, there is this feeling that the major powers of left the capital. they lose 2 levies, which is a city near to the polish border at some distance from here we have troops, russian troops, 30000 of them are based in bella. busy luce, that is only 200 kilometers from the capital here, real concerns that have puts a decides to press the button for full invasion, which he could do. now, all intelligence from the united states, the united kingdom, other states, and you're all intelligence is pointed to the fact that every aspect of an invasion has been prepared now even to the fueling of aircraft and various spaces

surrounding this country. so there is an alert there, that putin putin can do really what he wants. now, amount is a feeling of considerable fear, not just here in ukraine, and under points also is it's not, it's not about his, his sir is that of the, all of his forces being brief to do certain things. no one knows what is in putins mind. that is clear to a lot of people, mainly diplomatic, to promote the core a run across europe. no one knows what he might do next. it's interesting andrea, that you mention that ukraine is looking for europe to do more. i mean, we're getting some breaking news coming into us now. a, apparently, the german government is going to hold the approval process all the nord stream to gas pipeline. in light of those developments in the ukraine conflict that is coming

through french government sources in berlin. a german government is going to hold the approval process for the north stream to gas pipeline. i said it, this is exactly what ukraine will be looking for. that will be welcomed very much bye. the bye. luckily, the president's office, but also deputies in parliament right across the land and also the civilians in this country. let's not forget them. millions who feel that this is an extraordinary situation. they shouldn't be in because the 2 reg breakaway. busy republics, have their own, i have their own rights, they have their own systems, but it isn't regarded as temporarily occupied territory. that's the terminology used by the ukrainian government. and so for it to be now recognized as independent by russia, is it is abhorrent to the politicians of this country and,

and on that note of public reaction to what's happened. and it is one of anger. if you go into the social media speaking on the streets, also people are really angry at the way this has happened that that, that boots in should, as one on person was describing this sort of imperial czar in this vast palace within the kremlin. a talking about history for nearly an hour on national television beamed world. busy busy wide then right at the end and a couple of sentences declaring independent recognition on to break away states. and then within hours. busy of military hardware rolling in $2.00 to $1.00 of these states, at least. and furthermore, whole ream of a whole range of, of extra powers handed on. but remember this, i'm sitting on standing now in the capitol and as i said 200 kilometers away, there. busy are in the region of 30000 troops. there are hundreds of aircraft.

there are many, many multiple missile launches as the s 400 antiaircraft weapon, which is quite, quite a volatile a piece of hardware. and then we also have a sizeable naval presence of the sea, of as off, with the landing craft to major landing craft not far off mary pole, the port. there is a possibility this, this maple forest went into action. it could possibly seal off the entire coastline in the see of as of. busy this country, and so from, from 3 directions, the forces of russia could move on ukraine and the resistance ukraine could put up would be substantial, but it could not mimic, could not match the might of these russian forces. and that is those factors. they

don't pass the average person living in the ukraine by people here know they're up against it and they want to know why they don't have more support from the outside world. it's obvious, it's obvious that europe could not, could not bring its forces in here because that would lead to a major war. so everything rests with these sanctions. and so i think that the, the, the news is just breaking about not stream to is very significant. it will, it will send her a certainly send a diplomatic shot at the kremlin. what the response will be, is unclear whether or not there is a plan in putin's head to actually move along across the don bass a little bit further north, and try to take the coastline the see of as off and leave it there. and then try to push hard on negotiations then that that's a possibility that so the really is

a feeling on board in circles of power here. that this might, may not end up being a full invasion a, but nevertheless, it could be a significant one. the change changes the whole shape of, of this country, but economically, and indeed, every other aspect to that. and so it could be really a withering away process staged by stage. but as i say, no one is is, is sure what is going to happen next here. many, thanks for that, andrew simmons left for us in here. we can turn now to our diplomatic edits, a james space who is in vienna thrusts james. i wonder what you make of this announcement that's just come through in the last few minutes from the gym and chance that will up salt saying that gemini has now taken the steps to halt the process of set to find the north stream to gas pipeline from russia, now this was always a tool, wasn't it to really hurt russia. but what do you make of it?

i think it's very, very important. it's obviously something that germans had that they could do. they were very reluctant to do because it hurts. germany helps. it's all the energy consumers in europe, but they've taken the step and they've taken the step at this stage. i think it was clear from the conversations that johnson had with president biden. this was going to be part of the big sanctions package. if there was a full scale invasion of ukraine, but i think it's very significant. the germans have now decided that pipeline has been finished since the end of last year cannot now go into operation shorts. the german chancellor, speaking with the prime minister tea shop, michael martin in berlin. one other good news from that meeting that i think will not be so pleasing to the credit in the germans. not changing that positions with regard to weapons going to cry. japanese made it clear that that is something that it feels given its culture history. it's something that he does not want to supply

weapons to ukraine. johnson schultz also saying that further sanctions are possible . now remember, this is the germ, wrote 3 to some. germany's going to do as part of the current plan of sanctions that are being worked out right now. there are boxes in brussels meetings, exact details. it won't be in the sanction. there are 4 minutes to standing by. they happened to be in paris. the meeting about in the pacific issues, they're going to be meeting this afternoon potentially to propose sanctions in place. but these are the sanctions in response to put in recognizing the 2 republics. what the european nations need to do is leave something in reserve, in case putin goes further, because to recognize the 2 republics, he didn't need more than 150000 troops. many fear that there is another stage to his operations. and what he's planning to do also were telling you that in addition to the you here in vienna, the l a c, d,

that organization that has russia as part of it, that meeting with another extraordinary mission, what are they going to do about that monitoring mission? they actually have piece monitors in the 2 republics. i'll be going to keep them. that's another thing we're going to have to watch in the coming out. mr. short so. so the german chancellor should also say that diplomacy remains crucial. and there's another big question. do people continue to meet the russians at this stage? the supposed to be a big meeting in geneva between the russian foreign minister and the u. s. secretary of state that hasn't been cancelled as yet. will it go ahead on thursday? i also want to talk to james about these comments being made by the russian foreign minister this morning said a lot of which, echoing the president's russian president yesterday saying that ukraine does not have a right to sovereignty. europeans and the west, no doubt will be looking at those comments. and i mean, there's no other way to look at them other than at the threat.

yeah, i mean, i think they will be saying something that is quite clear when you look at the facts, which is that ukraine is a member of the united nations, a sovereign member of the united nations. in fact, you may not know this. ukraine was one of the founding members of the united nations, even though as part of the soviet union, the soviet union got a seat, ukraine, and salaries, which are also part of so you didn't got a seat the very start of the united nation. so in fact, the soviet union, in the general assembly had 3 seats. well, when ukraine, goddess independence, it became an independent sovereign nation. and you just look at the un charter article to it says, any threat against the sovereignty or territorial integrity of a member that is a breach of the charter and what's different from 2014, when a putin took crimea, then the us was a little hazy and his comments, the secretary general, that donkey moon about that he said people need to respect the charter. this time

the current section on tenure terrace has come out and said that what's happened in the last 24 hours is a direct violation over that chart. so now you may wonder why that matches. well, i think the words are yard stick to international diplomacy and for other member states of the united nations and other than russia. i can't see many other member states want you to go contradict the 2nd general on this fact. okay, for now. thank you, james, phase diplomatic editor speaking to us by from vienna. let's get the situation on the ground because that's what really matters. child stratford is near mario pole in the genetic region. tell us what's happening there where you are, what is the lead on the grounds was suddenly this morning we've heard em. high caliber weapons will sound like our tillery being used close to the front line outside. mary awful. one particularly heavy barrows,

i suppose about an hour ago. this is consistent with what the ukrainian military have released information they released in the last hour. they set that up until 12 o'clock local time, which was about an hour and 20 minutes ago. they. busy said that a russian back separatists had fired 661 rounds of ammunition. that includes everything from small arms, fire, 2 heavy artillery towards ukrainian positions right. the way along the 420 kilometer front line in various different positions. they're interesting, we've, we've been speaking to people inside the self declared republic. all done at scot this morning and particularly people close to the border with russia. and they saying that they were telling us they were describing the russian military build up, seemingly, getting ready to go into the self declared denial people's republic as being like

nothing they'd seen before. they describe tanks and grad at missile systems. as we've been reporting, the russians say that this is a peace keeping mission. but of course also to be of great concern as this notion of false flag incidence. these are incidence that sir the ukrainians and their western backers accused the russian back separatists and russia of potentially using a fabricated incidence to use as a pretext to further escalate the situation. and in that context, some quite interesting statements made by a member of parliament in the self declared luc gunther, people's republic. that's the other break away republic. a member of the, of, of that parliament saying that it would be a, not unforeseeable if the ukrainian military were asked to voluntarily move back from positions that the look gangs, people's republic consider their territory. and if they didn't move back voluntary

voluntarily, then action could potentially be taken against them. so it's precisely that kind of language, again in the context of force flags and the sensitivity along this front line at the moment with so many weapons there with so many ukrainian military there as well, defending this country is that kind of language that potentially could be very worrying indeed. okay, for now. thank you charles strafford there for us in dispute jeanette region. right, hello. return to that breaking news or from the child left germany, all of salts or who was announced that he will delay the certification of a major gas pipeline from russia. let's speak to dominic hain, who is in berlin. dominic a talk us through the significance of this announcement, given the events of recent weeks. one of the things that the chancellor here has been alluding to until now,

but never really going into great detail about is what exactly germany was prepared to do. what sort of sanctions it was prepared to impose and be part of as it were from an you perspective or an a so perspective, the nod stream to that gas pipeline that's ready to go, but has not been switched on yet. well, now it's not going to be switched on for some considerable time because he has said in a news conference with the irish t shock, the irish prime minister is the martin saying effectively that note that he has instructed us. mister shots is instructed the federal government apparatus not to certify not stream to and to switch it off as it were, the idea this project until further notice is also said as, as our colleague james base was saying from vienna in reacting so quickly to what mr. shots is saying mr. shots is also said from the, from his perspective, mrs. direct violation of the international of the united nations charter and indeed of international law. and that's particularly tough language coming from chancellor

shots here. he had been in a bit of a bind because the role of the german government had set up for itself was as it were, a kind of intermediary offering all sorts of help to the ukrainians, but no weapons. and then saying to the russian government, look, try to deescalate, try not to, to commit acts of aggression and ukraine. and if you do that won't be sanctions and we can talk to plough missy. well now you know exactly what mr. shots had been referring to and his colleagues, the foreign minister and lena bell block had been referring to. they never wanted to talk about nord stream too, because they wanted to keep it as an ace, as it were up their sleeve. a trump card as it were to play when the time came. well, now the time has come and they've played that card. the time has come indeed. okay, for now. thank you. dominic cain in belin. well, as we've been hearing the you asked that you and person are all preparing to announce further sanctions against russia here some of what the u. k prime and

subarus, johnson said not too long ago we will immediately institute a package of economic sanctions, which i think is people would expect talked not just at entities in, in don bass, him against him and, and yet, but are in russia itself targeting russian economic interests as hard as we can, it is absolutely vital that that effort that, that conquest of another european country should not succeed. and that to put into fail. one of russia's closest allies was careful not to take sides during that un security council session, which took place over night. many members condemned the russian move to send troops in the rebel held regions of ukraine. john isn't bad that called on all on all those involves avoid making things worse. katrina, you household for rain to try to avoid unstable areas, but it stop short of actually telling them leave the country completely unlike many

other nations. no time in recent weeks has criticize the us for what it says is hyping up. the threat of war. china has said that it believes that russia's security concerns all legitimate and the 2 countries all very close to that mid putin was justin beijing about 2 weeks ago. and the sizing, the strength of his friendship with china, with the sheet and paying. but that doesn't necessarily mean that she didn't ping would welcome or support any war over ukraine. he's also has very good ties with. he has in china, very much relies on trade with europe. so china's ambassador to the basset to be un on tuesday. jung jones said that all policy should really return to dialogue and exercise restraint. and you should 5 more weekends on the current situation and ukraine is a result of many complex factors. china always makes its position according to the merits of the matter itself. we believe that all countries should solve

international disputes by peaceful means and in line with the purposes and principles of the un charter should certainly beijing as watching what is happening in ukraine very, very closely and waiting to see how the international community responds to any possible invasion by russia, the british ambassador said, russia's actions would have severe and far reaching consequences. an invasion of ukraine unleashes the forces of war, death, and destruction on the people of ukraine. the humanitarian impact will be terrible on civilians fleeing the fighting. we know that women and children will suffer most let slip well closely at the minsk protocol. it was named after belarus is capital, where the talks began back in 2014. it was written by representatives of ukraine on

russia's government, as well as the organization for security and cooperation in europe, france and germany mediated they along with the latest off don't yet. and who has all signed the agreements? the fighting never stopped. a follow up agreement. kaminsky to also failed russia for its part august. it was never policy to the conflict, nor the times of the minced agreements. addie i spoke to a former spokesman for the organization for security and cooperation in europe. michael, butch of gift. he now works at the right, a cent of the atlanta count. so the think tank, he told me about mentoring last 24 hours, which any the speech last night was nothing short of like hurdling it. it was coming from a man who i believe, had no intention at stopping at the so called frontline, dividing the occupied in government control areas of ukraine is the big fear here at the moment is that he will actually try and take control of the other parts of

the lives can to that they basically control at the moment above one 3rd of those 2 blocks. and then another possibility is to move further south and create that land bridge between russia proper and crimea. so this has a long way to play out. and i don't believe the sanctions and out so far by the white house will do anything to determine if diplomacy was on the floor 2 days ago . i thought it was in the basement yesterday. it down the drain. now, clearly put in, it's not listening to, you know, the, the statements coming out of the road based international world. he's going to choose his own pass, and i think there should be a wake up call to the entire world that he is a thought that was to see his own way. that was to remake the international security structure of europe. it's again, a very, very chilling development. while the crisis in ukraine has been discussed on the sidelines, the meeting of gas suppliers here in. so i think fundamentally,

you know, when you talk about the ukraine issue and the european issue, people have been bouncing on the copper can supply and replace, you know, the russian guys, i've, i've stated this officially before. i mean, russia, i think it's 3040 percent of the supply to europe. there is no single country that can replace that kind of volume. oh, okay, this is alpha zera. these are the latest breaking developments. germany is halting work on the nord stream to pipeline to supply europe with natural gas from russia to answer all of shawl says the project needs to be reassessed because of what rush .