Russian President Vladimir Putin announced today the launch of a military campaign in Ukraine to defend rebels in the country’s east, known as the Donbas region. “I have made the decision to conduct a military action,” he announced on television shortly before 6 a.m. Weeks of frantic diplomacy and the implementation of Western sanctions on Russia failed to deter Mr. Putin, who had amassed between 150,000 and 200,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders.
US Vice President Joe Biden quickly warned Russia of “consequences” and stated that the world would “hold Russia accountable” for its conduct. He warned that Russia’s move would result in “catastrophic loss of life and human suffering” while NATO’s top commander slammed Russia’s “reckless and unprovoked aggression” on Ukraine. Russia also demanded that Ukrainian soldiers lay down their arms and justified the invasion by claiming “genocide” in Ukraine’s east.
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s foreign minister, has confirmed Russia’s “full-scale invasion” of Ukraine.
This is an aggressive war. Ukraine will defend itself and come out on top. Putin can and must be stopped. The time has come to act.”
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Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s UN envoy, has justified Russia’s military activities under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows for “self-defense.”
During an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council convened just hours before, Nebenzya backed Russia’s decision to intervene militarily in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.
Nebenzya informed the United Nations Security Council of Putin’s announcement of a special military operation in eastern Ukraine, according to Reuters.
The acts of Ukraine itself, which has been destroying its duties for many years, are at the basis of today’s situation in Ukraine.”
Nebenzya is most likely alluding to the Minsk agreement.
He further stated that the Russian action was intended to defend people of the Russian-backed separatist regions of eastern Ukraine, “who have been cowering from Ukraine’s shelling for eight years.”
Nebenzya went on to add that “Ukrainian provocation against those in Donbas has not only not halted, but has intensified,” prompting separatist leaders in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions to seek Russian support.
Ukraine’s UN ambassador responded by saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared “war on my country.”
Russian forces have landed in Odessa, according to Ukrainian officials, while others are crossing the border into Kharkiv.
The Ukrainian interior ministry announced the attack on Telegram, adding that rockets are targeting Ukrainian fighter jets at an airport outside of Kyiv.
According to Ukraine’s state emergency agency, strikes have been started against ten Ukrainian regions, predominantly in the country’s east and south.
According to Kyiv command, at least seven “strong” attacks were carried out on Vasilkovsky airfield west of Kyiv, which houses Ukraine’s military fighter bombers.
According to Guardian senior reporter Peter Beaumont, if the claims coming in from Ukraine are genuine, Russia’s activity is far from limited.
Instead, it appears that various military operations are being launched in a broad crescent stretching from Odessa in the southwest along the coast eastwards towards Mariupol, via Kharkiv further north, and eventually Kyiv at the apex of the crescent.
While many of the alleged attacks appear to have been missile strikes, there are now unsubstantiated allegations of troops landing in the south and crossing the border near Kharkiv via Ifax and elsewhere.
Kharkiv pic.twitter.com/LfwcNmOhwA
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 24, 2022
At least seven "powerful" airstrikes on Vasilkovsky airport outside Kyiv, where Ukraine's military fighter bombers are kept, Kyiv command says
— Luke Harding (@lukeharding1968) February 24, 2022
Edited by- Kritika
Published by- Radhika. N
