Ukraine to declare state of emergency as Putin brags about Russian missiles

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the battle-readiness of his armed forces and his ever-developing hypersonic missiles — as Ukraine declared a state of emergency and started enlisting military reservists.

Putin made his latest clear warning in a video address as he continued to move as many as 190,000 troops on the borders with Ukraine, which declared it would introduce a 30-day nationwide state of emergency.

The move, which is expected to get parliamentary approval within 48 hours, would allow additional protection for public facilities, restrictions on traffic, and additional transport and document checks.

In an address marking the Defender of the Fatherland Day holiday, Putin claimed that he was “always open for direct and honest dialogue, for the search for diplomatic solutions to the most complex problems.”

But “the interests of Russia, the security of our citizens, are non-negotiable for us,” he declared, according to AFP.