Iran Press/ Europe: On Wednesday, 24 February morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially announced a special military operation against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin says he had no other choice than to launch the military operation to stop the Ukrainian military’s interference in two eastern republics that have broken away from Ukraine. Russia perceives NATO’s eastward expansion as a threat.
Moscow launched a military operation against its neighbor this week, arguing that it was defending the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which broke off from the eastern part of Ukraine shortly after the 2014 coup in Kyiv. Ukraine said the move was an act of unprovoked aggression.
The UK has imposed new sanctions on Belarus after the country was used as one of the launching pads for Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.
The British Foreign secretary Liz Truss said four senior defence officials have had their UK assets frozen and have been banned from traveling to the UK.
Those sanctioned include the Belarusian chief of the general staff and the first deputy minister of defence, Major General Viktor Gulevich. 219
