Moscow, Kiev Russia has invaded Ukraine, plunging Europe into the deepest military crisis since the end of World War II. On the orders of President Vladimir Putin, Russian units attacked the neighboring country from the air, over land and from the Black Sea on Thursday. The aim of the mission is to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine, the Kremlin said in Moscow.
But Russia has no intention of occupying Ukraine. The Ukrainian government and military initially reported several attacks, mainly on Kiev, Kharkiv, Mariupol on the Azov Sea, Odessa on the Black Sea and in the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk in the east. In the evening, diplomats reported hundreds of explosions in Mariupol.
In the meantime, the armed conflicts are spreading to almost all parts of the country. Russia attacks its neighbor both from the east and north and from the south from the annexed peninsula of Crimea.
Ukrainian authorities said they lost control of areas in the south of the country. Russia also captured the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
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According to Ukrainian Health Minister Oleh Lyashko, 57 people were killed and 169 injured in Russian attacks on Thursday. The Russian Defense Ministry said the Russian army had destroyed 83 Ukrainian land-based targets.
Russia’s actions met with dismay around the world. The EU announced a new and unprecedented package of sanctions.
The situation in Ukraine and Russia
According to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, military command centers were destroyed in several cities. Kiev is also affected. Many people tried to leave the capital. Miles of traffic jams formed on the arterial roads. Residents took refuge in subway stations.
People across Ukraine are trying to flee Russian attacks.
(Photo: AP)
Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba spoke of a large-scale Russian invasion. President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law. Russia took prisoners during heavy fighting in the east of the country, said Ukraine’s deputy defense minister.
The Russian Presidential Office said the Russian operation in Ukraine must meet its goals of “denazification” and demilitarization. President Putin spoke on television shortly before the attacks began.
More on the Ukraine crisis
He authorized military action, Russia had no choice but to defend itself. “Russia cannot feel safe, develop and live with a constant threat posed by modern Ukraine,” Putin said. “All responsibility for bloodshed rests with the ruling regime in Ukraine.”
According to agency reports, the Russian government sees itself in a position to cushion the consequences of sanctions. Russia has enough reserves to ensure the stability of the financial system, the Moscow leadership said, according to the Interfax news agency. The government stands ready to protect financial markets and Russia’s largest companies from the consequences of sanctions and other threats, Tass said.
According to Putin, the country must be cleansed and liberated from “Nazis” and demilitarized.
(Photo: dpa)
These are the consequences for Russia
Russia’s military aggression is leading to a multitude of sanctions against the country. EU leaders approved further sanctions against Russia. The package of measures will have “massive and serious consequences” for Russia and will target its financial, energy and transport sectors, according to a statement by the EU special summit.
There should also be export controls, and there should also be adding more Russian individuals to an existing sanctions list.
The US wants to cut off four major banks, which together have more than $1 trillion in assets, from the international financial markets. US President Joe Biden said the sanctions would be “as devastating as tanks and munitions in Ukraine”.
Neighboring Canada suspended all export permits to Russia, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced. No new permits will be issued, existing ones will be revoked. In addition, existing sanctions would be tightened and extended to include the defense, finance and justice ministers of Russia.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced the “toughest economic sanctions in history” against Russia. Britain and its partners will freeze all assets of the major Russian bank VTB. Access for all Russian banks to the British financial system will also be stopped.
The assets of another hundred companies and individuals will be frozen, it said. In addition, all Russian airlines will be banned from British airspace. There should also be strict export controls on electronics, telecom and space technology goods.
Meanwhile, Switzerland will not freeze the accounts of Russian officials who have been sanctioned in the EU. However, it will tighten up measures so that Switzerland cannot be used as a bypass platform for the sanctions imposed by the EU, it said on Thursday.
This is how Germany behaves
Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared that Russia would pay a “bitter price”. “This is Putin’s war,” said the SPD politician after a meeting of the security cabinet.
Russia is making a serious mistake and is blatantly violating international law. The aim of the sanctions is to show the Russian leadership: “They are paying a bitter price for this aggression. Time will tell: Putin made a serious mistake with his war.” He assured Ukraine of Germany’s “full solidarity”.
For Sunday, Scholz announced a government statement at a special session of the German Bundestag. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said: “The world community will not forget Russia on this day of shame.”
In a television speech, Scholz emphasized NATO’s determination to defend the eastern alliance area in the event of a Russian attack. Of the NATO countries, the three Baltic states, Poland and Norway border on Russia.
At the same time, Scholz spoke out in favor of not exhausting all possible sanctions against Russia.
The SPD politician condemned the Russian attack.
(Photo: dpa)
The Federal Ministry of Defense triggered “national alarm measures”. “The Bundeswehr is prepared and is currently increasing its readiness,” the ministry said. “This also means that the population may be able to perceive more military movements in public space in the next few days.” There could be restrictions in the area of traffic.
Meanwhile, Germany is preparing for possible refugee movements from Ukraine. North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) has already declared his state’s willingness to take in refugees. “For me it is clear: If people fleeing war seek refuge in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia is ready to help,” he said. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania stops the repatriation of Ukrainians who are required to leave the country.
These are the international reactions
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Putin to stop the attacks and give peace a chance. US President Joe Biden announced a “joint and decisive response to the unwarranted attack by the Russian military”.
Biden convened the US National Security Council on Thursday. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a virtual summit for Friday. In Brussels, he said the alliance would do everything to protect its members.
More than 100 fighter jets are on alert to monitor NATO airspace, Stoltenberg said. The first US troops have now arrived in Latvia to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is temporarily withdrawing its ambassadors from Ukraine. The African Union (AU) called on Russia to immediately cease fire and begin diplomatic talks in the interests of global peace.
More: Read the current developments in the Ukraine crisis in the news blog