After last night Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic in Ukraine as independent and later ordered the Russian armed forces to carry out peacekeeping operations in the two areas, the international community reacted sharply against the Russian actions.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that this was a violation of the integrity and sovereignty of his country. Pointing out that Ukraine's international borders will remain unchanged despite Moscow's statements, he said: "We are not afraid" and added that he expected clear and effective steps from his international partners.

At an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the United States and its allies sharply criticized Putin and condemned his decision to send troops to Ukrainian territories, describing his intentions as a gross violation of international law and a "pretext for war."

Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council Charles Michel described the recognition of the separatist republics as an "illegal act", while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on Moscow to stop fueling the conflict and to choose a path of diplomacy instead.

The position of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published in the Twitter profile of Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska, reads that "the recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk separatist republics is a gross violation of international law and undermines European security."

Also on Twitter, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov wrote: "I condemn the Russian president's decision to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk as independent entities. We continue to support Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. International law must be respected and the European Union will respond united in protecting it."

Again on Twitter, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said that "the recognition of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic by the Russian Federation dooms the de-escalation efforts in Ukraine and increases tensions in the whole region." The head of state added that a lasting solution to the crisis could not be found by violating international law and by military means.