The US is still seeing preparations for a broader potential invasion including loading amphibious ships and equipment for airborne units.
Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic in a ceremony carried on state television earlier on Monday.
Russian troops continue preparations for an invasion of Ukraine, but diplomacy will be pursued “until the tanks roll,” a senior US administration official said.
“Russian troops have continued to move closer to the border,” the official said, saying they see plans being laid for an invasion “at any moment.”
The official acknowledged Putin’s order of what the Kremlin called “peacekeeping” troops to enter Moscow-claimed regions in eastern Ukraine, but said the US would respond to Russian actions and not words.
“We will observe and assess what actions Russia actually takes and respond accordingly,” the official said.
The official declined to provide additional information or confirmation of Russian troops entering Ukraine, but said the US was closely observing events on the ground. And the official noted that Russian troops operating in these regions wasn’t a new phenomenon.
“This has been the state of affairs in that region” since 2014, the official said.
Biden’s executive order will also allow the US to impose sanctions on anyone operating in those areas. And the White House said it would “soon announce additional measures related to today’s blatant violation of Russia’s international commitments.”
“To be clear: these measures are separate from and would be in addition to the swift and severe economic measures we have been preparing in coordination with Allies and partners should…
Source : cnn
