Putin moves in eastern Ukraine could be opening phase of possible large-scale invasion, multiple US and western officials say

Russian President Vladimir Putin's move to recognize breakaway eastern Ukrainian territories as independent could be the opening phase of a larger potential military operation targeting Ukraine, nearly a dozen US and western officials told CNN.

source https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/21/politics/donetsk-luhansk-putin-possible-invasion-ukraine/index.html