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The United States has announced sanctions against separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, AFP reported.

Putin Recognizes the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics as Independent States

The independence of the DNR and LNR was officially recognized tonight by Russian President Vladimir Putin after his extraordinary address to the nation.

A large number of armored vehicles have been spotted on the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic, Interfax reported.

Putin Recognizes the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics as Independent States

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Russian military to "keep the peace" in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in a decree recognizing the two republics. In the document, Putin ordered Russia's Defense Ministry to ensure that the armed forces "perform peacekeeping functions" in those territories.

The EU and NATO tonight condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the Russian people that he recognized the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as independent states. At the end of the address, Vladimir Putin signed presidential decrees recognizing the republics and signed agreements on friendship and cooperation.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Industry Kornelia Ninova commented on the information that Bulgaria exports weapons to Ukraine. She denied that the Ukrainian army used Bulgarian ammunition during the shelling of the DNR.

A shell fired from Ukraine hit the Federal Security Service's border post in Rostov, the Federal Security Service's (FSB) border service said on Monday.

"On February 21, at 09:50 local time, an unidentified projectile fired from the territory of Ukraine completely destroyed the duty patrol of the border patrols," the FSB Public Relations Center said.

Leaders of Russian-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine announced a general military mobilization today after yesterday ordering women and children to be evacuated to southern Russia over the threat of conflict, Reuters reported.

The evacuation of civilians continues in Donetsk and Luhansk in anticipation of an attack by Ukrainian forces. On the other hand, Kiev claims that it does not intend to attack Donbass. Ukraine claims that Russia is preparing for an invasion, which has been announced for days by the President of the United States and NATO leaders.

Separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine ordered a full military mobilization on Feb. 19 amid a spike of violence in the war-torn region and fears in the West that Russia might use the strife as a pretext for an invasion.