- As Putin launches war to ‘demilitarise’ neighbour
- Ukraine seeks air defences from EU, sanctions on Belarus
With Military vehicles are seen on a street on the outskirts of Donetsk, Russia appears to be targeting military infrastructure in early strikes with explosions reported at Ukraine airfields, military headquarters, and military warehouses
On the orders of President Vladimir Putin, who announced a “special military operation” at dawn, amid warnings from world leaders that it could spark the biggest war in Europe since 1945, Russian forces unleashed an attack on Ukraine in an early morning strike on their east and north-east neighbours.
Within minutes of Putin’s short televised address, at about 5 am Ukrainian time, explosions were heard near major Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv and the scope of these attacks appears to be massive.
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry reported that the country was under attack from the cruise and ballistic missiles, with Russia appearing to target infrastructure near major cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Dnipro.
Some recorded video clips showed explosions from artillery rockets lit up the night sky as shelling began near Mariupol, even as a Senior Adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said it appeared Russian troops may soon move on Kharkiv, about 20 miles from the border. Locals in Kyiv sought safety in bomb shelters as explosions were heard outside the city.
Also, air raid sirens sounded over the capital and residents of Kharkiv sheltered in the city’s metro, scenes that haven’t been seen in those cities since 1941. “Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” said Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba.
According to Kuleba; “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.”
However, in a bid to justify the attack, Putin claimed “A hostile anti-Russia is being created on our historic lands. We have taken the decision to conduct a special military operation,” he said, in what amounted to a declaration of war.
The Russian President claimed it was for the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine, echoing a theme of Kremlin propaganda, the false claim that the Kyiv government is controlled by the far right.
“We do not intend to occupy Ukraine,” he said, and he had a chilling warning for other nations. To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside: if you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me,” he said.
Russian media reported that the declaration of war may have been pre-recorded as President Putin was wearing the same tie and seated at the same desk when he announced his recognition of the Russian-controlled territories on Monday.
As Putin’s words were being broadcast and the first detonations were being reported, the UN security council was holding an emergency session, chaired by Russia itself, which holds the rotating presidency. It was begun by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who made a direct appeal: “President Putin – stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance. Too many people have already died.”
In its reaction, Ukraine has called on the European Union and its member states to urgently provide air-defence and anti-missile systems, as well as use “all means” to jam Russian satellite signals.
In a list of requests sent to the EU leaders ahead of an emergency summit on Thursday night in Brussels, Ukraine also calls for the “fiercest restriction measures against Belarus, which directly supported [the] Russian full-scale invasion”.
The paper, drafted by Ukrainian diplomats in Brussels also calls for:
- Ending software licenses for military and civilian equipment in Russia and Belarus;
- Blocking or interfering with Russian satellite navigation systems in the air, over the Black Sea and Sea of Azov; and
- Using all means to block the Russian satellite navigation system Glonass, including jamming its signal over the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, Belarus and Ukrainian airspace.
Additionally, there is an appeal to end “business as usual” with Russia, Kyiv wants the EU to open its emergency aid system (the civil protection mechanism) to Ukrainians.
