Russia: Sanctions shows western 'impotency', ties approaching 'point of no return'

A spokeswoman for Russia's foreign ministry said Friday that Western sanctions on the country's president and top diplomat for its invasion of Ukraine demonstrated Western "impotence" and warned that ties were approaching a "point of no return."

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Russian television that the decision by the US and European nations to censure President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was "a manifestation of the full impotency of the Western foreign policy." She also warned that Russia's ties with the West were on the verge of a crisis.

"It wasn't our fault. We want conversation, but the Anglo-Saxons closed those doors one by one, and we began to respond differently as a result," Zakharova made the remarks soon before midnight during a televised broadcast on Russia's Channel One. "It's not because of threats," Zakharova explained, "but we've reached the point where there's no turning back."

On the second day of the Kremlin's large-scale invasion of its neighbour, Ukrainian soldiers were staging a furious struggle against invading Russian troops on the outskirts of Kyiv. Dozens had been killed, and hundreds had been injured.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraine's military to assume control on Friday, a day after Moscow launched an invasion of its southern neighbour. "I implore Ukrainian military men once more: do not allow neo-Nazis and (Ukrainian extreme nationalists) to use your children, spouses, and elderly as human shields," Putin urged at a televised meeting with Russia's security council.

"Take charge of your own future; it will make reaching an agreement easier." Putin went on to declare that Russian forces were acting "bravely, professionally, and heroically" in Ukraine.

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• Russia
• Vladimir Putin
• Ukraine
• Russia Ukraine crisis
• Ukraine crisis
• invasion
• European Union