After weeks of escalating tensions in the region Russia announced early Thursday that military operations have begun in Ukraine, kicking off a long-feared attack on its ex-Soviet neighbor.
Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two. Russian President Vladimir Putin says his aim is to demilitarise and ‘denazify’ Ukraine.
Sfter missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities and explosions were heard near the capital Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on all citizens who were ready to defend the country to come forward, saying Kyiv would issue weapons to everyone who wants them.
An an instant response came from all over the word. The European Union will freeze Russian assets, halt access of its banks to the European financial market.
U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington and its allies would impose “severe sanctions” over what he called Putin’s “premeditated war”.
China rejected calling Russia’s moves on Ukraine an “invasion” and urged all sides to exercise restraint.
President Tayyip Erdogan told Putin that Turkey did not recognise steps against Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Erdogan’s office said.
Ukraine closed its airspace to civilian flights Central European countries started preparations to receive people fleeing Ukraine, as dozens of cars queued on the Moldovan border.
Izvor: Reuters, Main Photo: Umit Bektas