LATVIAN PM: Russian tanks and troops in eastern Ukraine

Latvia’s prime minister warned that Russian troops and tanks have moved into the eastern region of Ukraine following the Kremlin’s recognition of two breakaway regions as “independent.”  

When asked by reporters if he was referring to the entry of additional Russian forces into Luhansk and Donetsk, Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš told CNN’s Jim Sciutto, “Yes, according to the information at my disposal, Putin is moving additional forces and tanks into the occupied Donbas territories.”

“By any definition that’s a crossing of a sovereign territory into a neighboring country,” he added.

According to two other sources familiar with U.S. intelligence, Putin asked military leadership to deploy “peacekeepers” into the Donbas on Tuesday – but a senior U.S. official familiar with the latest intelligence cautioned that the Kremlin has also deployed one or two battalion tactical groups – Russia’s main combat formation – into the region.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden described the situation in eastern Ukraine as “the beginning of a Russian invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, calling for the mobilization of reservists in anticipation of war with its neighbor.

The emergency powers will allow local authorities to enact curfews and dictate restrictions like curfews for 30 days, with the option to extend the mandate. Some Ukrainian lawmakers have also encouraged the government to impose martial law, which would include bans on meetings, movements and political parties.

Although Zelensky had held off on calling up troops in an attempt to avoid a panic, the threat of war has left his administration without a choice.

Ukraine's standing military numbers about 200,000 uniformed troops and the initial call-up of reservists would apply to about 36,000 combat trained service members.