ah, ah, this is t w. news alive from berlin. anger in the west as rushers leader recognizes to break away regions of ukraine as independent states. vladimir hooton's decree is criticized by france and germany. the u. s. and european union are preparing punitive sanctions. also on the program england scraps its last remaining crone of virus restrictions. even people with coven 19 will no longer have to isolate the british prime minister says it's a move away from government control to personal responsibility. but not all medical

experts are convinced. ah! i'm michael ok. welcome. western leaders have condemned a decision by the russian president vladimir putin to recognize, to break away regions in eastern ukraine as independent states couldn't sign off on requests from the self proclaimed people's republics of done yeske and no haunts. the russian leader has accused ukrainian forces of shelling civilian areas. he also says nato has ignored russia concerns and rejected its security demands. the united states and the european union are preparing sanctions against russia and the break away regions. as well as confirming he would recognize the states. putin issued a veiled threat against the ukrainian government. shadonia prettyman burnett was,

i think it is necessary to make a long overdue decision to immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of the don. yet people's republic and the lou hans people's republic, i asked the federal assembly of the russian federation to support this decision and then ratify the treaty of friendship and mutual assistance with the 2 republics. these 2 documents will be prepared and signed shortly. so it will racially ah, and for those who seized and hold power and key if we demand an immediate cessation of hostilities, otherwise all responsibility for a possible continuation of bloodshed will be entirely on the conscience of the regime ruling on the territory of ukraine. dw correspondent nick connelly is in key ads and can now tell us a little bit more. nick, how has the ukranian government reacted to president putin's decision?

whether this was a move, the people hadn't seen coming all along russia stretch. she had been to try and force ukraine to re integrate those separate is controlled areas to turn those russian back separatists into ukrainian politicians as a way for moscow to guarantee its influence over ukraine as to give a veto over ukraine's aspirations. attempts to draw closer with nature in the e. u. so basically by recognizing those self proclaimed churches basic that is dead, the minsk piece purses is dead because that was all about bringing these churches back into the full ukrainian fold. pretty difficult, see if i possible, see how that could now happen, given that recognition, we've heard that russia is also going to drop various kinds of agreements on cooperation with those regions. speculation now that that would mean military cooperation, maybe even russian troops being stationed there to protect those are those territories, at the request of their a separatist leaders that would actually put russian troops very close to ukrainian

soldiers along that 400 clumped line for nicholas along a front between ukraine control territory and separate shelter to the base. it has been stuck and has not moved much since 2015, even though the fighting and the shooting has continued. and definitely a sense here that this is moscow and the kremlin raising the stakes. nick, as you well know, washington has been worried, dead putin would use this recognition as a pretext to send forces into the region. the argument being that he's protecting ethnic russians in an independent state. what are they saying in kia about that that's definitely the worry and we've heard warnings from washington, london in recent days about russia potentially planning false flag operations, or any kind of a situation which could be used to accuse ukraine of committing. oh, some kinds of few crimes or conquer attacks on civilians as a pretext for russian intervention. we even heard vladimir putin and top person officials, recent days, accusing ukraine of genocide in easton ukraine. than these reports today of

ukrainian spies allegedly caught the russians, trying to get on to russian territory at mo, russia, saying that it was able to kill those spies on russian territory and destroy their vehicles. no evidence provided that so far. um, so definitely a worry that this is all an attempt to try and create some kind of a pretext, at least for russian domestic audience for military action against ukraine. russia is also handed out almost a 1000000 russian passports to people living in donia can. hans, so it always has that excuse of going in to protect not only ethnic russians, but at russian passport holders. very nervous time here and a sense that this crisis, after months of building up is now moving into a new phase, nick connelly and kia many thanks. we're crossing a brussels now. it is feature correspondent derek christine when we're a christine, the european union has announced sanctions against russia and on east ukraine

separate as regions. what does that mean exactly? well michael and e official has said that the recognition of the independence of lu, hands and dent danielle is just the 1st step that they are expecting this e official said that they would likely be more steps. and so what the european union has decided to do is to wait out and to see what next steps are taken by the criminal before it reaches its conclusion about the exact a kind of sanctions that it is going to a po, impose on moscow and on the separatists, i in the region, you can almost be guaranteed that it's going to be a difficult conversation because there are some e u member states, particularly the balkan member states or countries like lithuania, who are calling for sanctions to be imposed immediately they were calling for this even before this development, they would have wanted to see that in response to what we've already seen happen on

the ground. and the fact that people in ukraine are already being impacted by it, especially on in economic level. there will be some e u member states who will perhaps push for the continuation of diplomacy and hence, perhaps softer sanctions on this news. but again, it all depends on those next steps that the european union is, is, is, is anticipating what happens after this declaration of independence, a, by the russian president vladimir putin. and that will give a better indication as to the kind of response, the kind of sanctions that we will see. and perhaps if member states will come closer together on what is the severity that that reaction needs to be many thanks, christine is always the w corresponded christian when we're in brussels. western leaders say putins move to recognize their break away republics as independent amounts to a breach of international law. the decision race is big questions over the 2015

minutes peace accords. reminders of war are everywhere in done yet, and new hunts. the 2 provinces lie an eastern ukraine, on the border with russia. both declared independence after the revolution in 2014, which most in the region did not support separatists voted to join russia and have fought ukrainian forces for control ever since. around 4000000 people live in what's called the don bass region. it's known for heavy industry and coal mining, and it's large, russian, and russian speaking population. in the main city done yet. banners read, we are russian. moscow has handed out hundreds of thousands of russian passports, but life is tough caught in the middle. many who can have left most pensioners are

stuck, others fight ukraine estimates. there are about $35000.00 separatist troops and accuses moscow filling out their ranks with russian soldiers. in 2015, i see fire signed, immense, helped end, full scale fighting. but the conflict has dragged on, leaving more than 14000 people dead. and with the west accusing moscow of preparing to indeed ukraine done yet. and no hans are on high alert again. men of fighting age had been drafted. women and children are evacuating to russia and soldiers on the front lines. watch and wait. here's

a look at some more stories making headlines around the world at the shower. german president, frank vault or shine meyer is on a 3 day visit to synagogue, to discuss establishing covered 19 vaccine production facilities in africa. his trip is also expected to focus on the security situation in the waters i had region, multiple european military missions to combat islamic terrorism or ongoing their light rains have provided slight relief for firefighters battling a massive blaze. in argentina, some 8000 square kilometers have been destroyed since the fires broke out weeks ago . months of drought and high temperatures have fueled the blaze in the countries north. british prime minister boards, johnson has announced plans to scrap the last remaining crone of ours restrictions in england. speaking to parliament, johnson said the country was moving from a strategy of government restrictions to personal responsibility as it learns to

live with the virus. among the biggest changes starting this thursday, people with covert 19 will no longer be required to self isolate. and for more, joining us from london is our corresponding charlotte. charleston pill. charlotte? tell us more about the prime minister johnson's new coven strategy. less is it now it's meant that was highly anticipated. the prime minister's plan for his he called it living with cove. it's a plan that has been very much supported by members of his own coffee eating in the final legal restrictions that are in place. now there were 2 really big announcements today that have been gripping the attention of the public. the 1st one being that the legal obligation to isolate, even if you test positive with cove, it will come to an end on says they know the government's stress. and the advice still is that you should exercise caution if you test positive, limit your contact. but the negro obligation will come to an end. the other main

announcement with re testing will also end except to testing targeted up most vulnerable as a pro both these decisions quite controversial, but the prime minister defended been in a number of ways. he pointed to the u. k vaccination program, he said some 71 percent of adults in england have been based in that which enabled us the u. k. or england rather to make this choice. he pointed to the treatments that are that exist. now for cobra, define civic knowledge, and crucially he was looking as well as some of the dates there about the on the chrome variance and the number of people in hostile, at the moment. all of that he said led him to feel confident. the now was the time to lift these restrictions, restrictions, which he said had had a huge impact on society and the economy. probably some of the viewers might be surprised by this. how were british health experts react into johnson's plants?

well, this is, i'm sure you can imagine a dividing opinion, not just among scientists, scientific experts, but of course, among the public as well. nother some in the scientific community who say with to you into this virus. there is this wall of immunity, but there are others who are more concerned. now in a press conference. this evening we saw the government scientific advisors standing side by side to the 5 minutes, many trying to walk out from that body language and from questions that were off how they felt about it when they supported the move. they were very keen to stress that if this maurice is towards anything, is that we shouldn't get cocky, they were warning that they could be a new variance which could cause significant problems and essentially injected a note of caution and all of this. but the prime minister stress surveillance methods will still be in place contingency plan should they need to re introduce measures to combat new variance or a sergeant of the virus. but of course,

there is concern from some i expect the day to simply isn't there to support this move going forward and those who in the public who are clinical honorable looking at this. and as i'm sure you can imagine, extremely concerned charlotte chelsea and pill in london for as many. thanks charlotte. and before we let you go some spectacular footage of italy's mount aetna, which has once again war to life. smoke and ash viewed from the volcano, forcing a nearby airport to close. briefly. there were no reports of damage or injuries to residents or tourists who flocked to the area, but they retreated to an impressive display of aetna's power. you're watching d. w. news. he is a reminder of the top story we're following for you. western leaders have condemned a decision by the russian president vladimir putin to recognise, to break away regions in eastern ukraine as independent states. united states and

the european union are preparing punitive sanctions. christie flats in ease up next with the w business. and the latest on what the you came, crisis means for gas applies and for the markets for want us to ground for that a, michael oke, who, in berlin, you're watching d. w. ah, people in trucks injured when trying to free the city center more and more refugees are being turned away. order families. the reason for these critical illness with extreme dreams around 200 people with around the world more than 3.