Russian forces began a multi-front invasion into Ukraine on Thursday. Russian missiles struck different parts of Ukraine as Russian soldie...
Russian forces began a multi-front invasion into Ukraine on Thursday.
Russian missiles struck different parts of Ukraine as Russian soldiers poured into Ukraine’s eastern Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, according to Reuters.
Russian soldiers also carried out amphibious landings in Odessa and Mariupol in the southern part of the country, according to Reuters.
The attack began while members of the Security Council gathered Wednesday night Eastern Time in New York to discuss the massive Russian troop buildups around Ukraine, which started a year ago with the United States Eastern Command raising alarm in March 2021 of a potential crisis.
In his address declaring war on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that his attack was a “special military operation” to “demilitarize” and “de-Nazify” the Eastern European nation with a Jewish president, according to The Independent.
“To anyone who would consider interfering from outside: If you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All the relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address, the outlet reported.
“Russia cannot feel safe, develop, and exist with a constant threat emanating from the territory of modern Ukraine … All responsibility for bloodshed will be on the conscience of the ruling regime in Ukraine,” Putin said, according to Reuters.
Early Thursday morning, residents in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv woke up to the sound of explosions, gunfire, blaring sirens and a congested highway as citizens fled, according to Reuters. Videos and pictures emerged in social media of civilians, including children wounded and killed by Russian bombings.
“Russia treacherously attacked our state in the morning, as Nazi Germany did in the WW2 years,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote in a Thursday post on Twitter.
“As of today, our countries are on different sides of world history. Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself & won’t give up its freedom no matter what Moscow thinks,” Ukraine’s president said, Reuters reported.
Zelenskiy declared martial law in the country and requested his countrymen to take up arms to defend the nation against the Russian invaders violating its borders and sovereignty.
Zelenskiy also cut Ukraine’s ties with Russia.
“I strongly condemn Russia’s reckless and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which puts at risk countless civilian lives. Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement on the invasion.
“This is a grave breach of international law, and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security. I call on Russia to cease its military action immediately and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. NATO Allies will meet to address the consequences of Russia’s aggressive actions. We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time. NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend all Allies.”
“President Zelenskyy reached out to me tonight and we just finished speaking. I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the UN Security Council,” President Joe Biden wrote in a Wednesday night post on Twitter.
“Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” Biden said.
“We are facing a war and horror. What could be worse?” 64-year-old Liudmila Gireyeva said, according to the Army Times. President Putin “will be damned by history, and Ukrainians are damning him.”
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