Australia and Japan announced Wednesday they will be imposing sanctions on Russia over its recent actions in Ukraine, joining a growing team of countries doing so.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Russia now regards two areas in Ukraine’s Donbas regions—Luhansk and Donetsk—as independent, and subsequently signed a decree authorizing Russian troops to be sent into the area for “peacekeeping operations.” Russia’s parliament on Tuesday approved treaties with Donetsk and Luhansk that effectively create a “legal basis” to have Russian troops in the areas.
