On the morning of February 24, Russia invaded Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has officially announced the start of a military operation. Ukrainian cities are bombed. Ukraine is also being attacked by ground troops, targets near big cities are being bombed.
The Russian president announced the "special military operation" by reiterating a series of false allegations he made earlier this week, including that Ukraine's democratically elected government was guilty for eight years of genocide. Putin also warned that any outside power intervening on Ukraine's behalf would face an ‘immediate’ response.
Russia's troops broke the border in a number of locations, including Belarus, a long-time Russian ally, in the North, South, and East. Fighting has been reported in portions of eastern Ukraine. Belarus's authoritarian leader Lukashenko said his country's military were not involved but could be if needed.
A total of 10 individuals are thought to have been murdered, 6 of whom were killed in an air attack near capital. According to a Ukrainian presidential adviser, at least 40 troops have been killed and dozens more have been injured. Ukraine claimed to have killed 50 Russian soldiers, destroyed 3 tanks and shot down 6 Russian planes and a helicopter, although this has yet to be confirmed.
According to the President ‘Russian occupation forces try to seize the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, it is a declaration of war across Europe’. Ukrainian edition UNYAN reported that Russian troops entered Chernobyl from Belarus.
“National Defense, which protects the building of a hazardous radioactive waste depot, is strongly resisting them. If the occupiers' artillery attacks the nuclear waste of this warehouse, radioactive clouds will cover Ukraine, Belarus and the European Union,” a journalist said.
Earlier on Thursday after the invasion Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian president, announced that Putin is ready to negotiate with Ukraine, but only on one issue — Ukraine's neutrality and refraining from placing weapons on Ukrainian territory.
Ukrainian President Zelensky declared martial law across the country, severing all diplomatic ties with Russia, and promising to provide guns to anybody who desired them. He also asked Turkey to close the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to warships.
The international community, part of which imposed sanctions on Russia yesterday, condemned the unjustified and unprovoked attack on Ukraine and demanded the aggressor to withdraw troops, pledging support for Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission said the bloc condemned Russia’s ‘barbaric’ invasion of Ukraine and the ‘cynical arguments to justify it.’ She added that E.U. leaders meeting on Thursday will present fresh sanctions targeting “strategic sectors” of the Russian economy. Sanctions will block “the access to technologies and markets that are key for Russia. We will weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernize. And in addition we will freeze Russian assets in the E.U. and stop the access of Russian banks to European financial markets.”
According to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, this is a disaster for our continent. “This morning I will address the nation about Russia's invasion of Ukraine.I also speak to the G7 leaders and call on all NATO leaders to meet immediately.”
US President Biden plans to impose what he called “severe sanctions” against Russia on Thursday during a public address on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia, said a number of Nato partners with shared borders with Russia have agreed to begin negotiations under Nato's Article 4. Nato can be pulled together under the defense alliance's treaty if any member believes their independence or territory is threatened. Meanwhile, Moldovan and Lithuanian presidents declared a state of emergency inside their countries.
Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzilski said they were preparing to receive Ukrainian migrants, including those injured in the Russian aggression. According to him, 120 hospitals are being prepared for this in Poland.
Recall that Russia's president recognized the independence of two self-proclaimed people's republics in eastern Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk earlier this week. Russia opposes NATO bases near its borders and has asked for written guarantees that NATO does not expand eastwards. One of the Kremlin’s central demands is that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO – a move it considers a red line.
After Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, Russian-backed separatists seized the breakaway territories. Putin initiated the strike in response to the ouster of pro-Russian President Yanukovych by major street protests in Ukraine. Since then, over 14,000 people have died in eastern Ukraine as a result of fighting between russia-controlled insurgents and Ukrainian authorities.
