In 2022, a declaration of independent territories signaled the start of a major European conflict
In a move that stunned the international community, Russia recognized the independence of two breakaway Ukrainian regions in 2022, effectively dismantling years of peace negotiations and signaling the start of a full-scale invasion.
On February 21, 2022, President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics as sovereign states. This diplomatic maneuver served as the immediate catalyst for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as it provided a pretext for moving 'peacekeeping' troops into foreign territory.
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