LPR, DPR Sign, Ratify 'Friendship & Assistance Treaty' w/Russia

The parliaments of the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics in Ukraine have signed and ratified a 'friendship and assistance treaty' with Russia, paving the way for financial and military aid to flow from Moscow to the Donbas.

• Bryan MacDonald at Russian state-run RT tweets on the treaties that, "...they will include common defense against "external aggression" & give Moscow the right to use local military infrastructure."
• UK PM Boris Johnson continuinig to outline plans to punish Russia for recognising LPR and DPR: says UK sanctions "will hit Russia very hard" and that "there's even more we'll do in the event of an invasion". Says a package of measures agreed internationally will hit the Russian economy and individuals inside Russia.