Despite international criticism and sanctions, Russian forces started their expected onslaught on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin warned that any effort to meddle would result in "consequences you have never witnessed."
Several large explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa before the sun came up, prompting warnings from international leaders about the beginnings of an invasion that might result in catastrophic fatalities, overthrow Ukraine's democratically elected government, and undermine the post-Cold War balance on Europe.
Russia, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has attacked the country's military infrastructure, prompting the president to impose martial law. Ukrainians, who have long braced for the possibility of an invasion while not knowing when it would occur, were told to remain at home and not to panic, even as the nation's border guard agency reported an artillery bombardment by Russian forces from the neighboring republic of Belarus.
President Joe Biden announced further penalties against Russia in response to the action, which the international community had been anticipating for weeks but was unable to avoid via diplomatic means.
As part of his broadcast statement, Putin claimed that the strike was necessary to defend people in eastern Ukraine, which the United States had feared he would make as a pretext for an invasion of the country. He accused the United States and its allies of turning a blind eye to Russia's demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and to provide security assurances for the country. He also asserted, with some credulity, that Russia did not plan to invade Ukraine, but rather to "demilitarize" the country and bring those responsible for atrocities to account instead.
According to a written statement from Vice President Joe Biden, the "unprovoked and unjustifiable assault" was denounced, and he pledged that the United States and its allies will "hold Russia responsible." Following a summit of the Group of Seven leaders on Thursday, the president announced that he will address the American people. More penalties against Russia were likely to be issued on Thursday, according to expectations.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the attack as a "full-scale invasion" and stated that Ukraine will "defend itself and will win" the battle. Putin must be stopped, and the world must do all it can to do so. "The hour for action has come."
Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko asked citizens to stay at home unless they were involved in crucial activity and to pack evacuation bags with essentials and documentation in case they were forced to flee the city. A photographer for the Associated Press in Mariupol reported hearing explosions and saw scores of people with luggage making their way to their cars to evacuate the city as the violence continued.
The Russian military claimed that it only targeted Ukrainian air bases and other military installations, and that it did not target civilian populations. According to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, the military was employing precise weaponry and asserted that "there is no threat to the civilian population."
Ukrainian interior minister's adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on Facebook that the Russian military had begun missile attacks against Ukrainian military command centres, air bases, and military depots in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.
Following the initial blasts in Kyiv, people could be heard yelling in the streets, which was unusual. Later, the air of normalcy returned, with automobiles circling the streets as well as people strolling in them as the pre-dawn commute looked to begin in relative peace.
The ramifications of the battle and the sanctions imposed on Russia might be felt throughout the world, upending geopolitical dynamics in Europe, disrupting energy supplies in Europe, and jolting global financial markets, to name a few.
As soon as the attack began, Asian financial markets plummeted and oil prices skyrocketed. After the Kremlin claimed that rebels in eastern Ukraine had requested military support, Wall Street's benchmark Samp;P 500 index sank 1.8 percent to an eight-month low.
Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, issued a stern warning to other countries, saying that "whoever tries to obstruct us, let alone create threats for our country and its people, must be aware that the Russian response will be immediate and lead to the consequences you have never seen before in history."
President Vladimir Putin encouraged Ukrainian troops to "immediately lay down their guns and return home."
Using nuclear weapons as a vivid reminder of Russia's nuclear capability, Putin warned that "no one should have any doubts that a direct assault on our nation will result in the annihilation of our country and horrific repercussions for any possible aggressor." He stressed that Russia is "one of the world's most powerful nuclear powers, and it also has a distinct advantage in terms of a wide spectrum of cutting-edge weaponry."
Despite the fact that the United States announced on Tuesday a realignment of military in the Baltics, Vice President Joe Biden has stated that he would not send soldiers to battle Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the military operation after the Kremlin claimed that separatists in eastern Ukraine had requested Russian military assistance to help them fend off Ukrainian "aggression." The White House described the announcement as a "false flag" operation by Moscow to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made his declaration only hours after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych dismissed Moscow's assertions that his nation is a threat to Russia and made an impassioned, last-minute plea for peace.
When Zelenskyy delivered an impassioned nighttime message in Russian, he was making a direct plea to Russian citizens. "The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine desire peace," Zelenskyy declared. In the event of an assault or an effort to take away our nation, our freedom, our lives, or the lives of any of the children in our care, we shall defend ourselves. When you assault us, you will be able to see our faces rather than our backs.
Zelenskyy claimed that he had requested a phone conversation with Putin late on Wednesday, but that the Kremlin had not responded.
When asked whether Putin's decision to sanction the deployment of Russian military forces to "keep peace" in eastern Ukraine was a reference to the move, Zelensky responded by warning that "this action might herald the beginning of a major conflict on the European continent."
In his words: "Any provocation, any spark, may set off a conflagration that would destroy everything."
Mr. Poroshenko responded to Russian propaganda claims by saying, "You are informed that this flame would bring freedom to the people of Ukraine, but the Ukrainian people are already free."
Members of the United Nations Security Council, who were still ignorant of Putin's declaration, pleaded to him to refrain from launching an assault during an emergency meeting called by Ukraine in response to the impending threat of a Russian invasion. "Stop your soldiers from assaulting Ukraine," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as he started the meeting, which took place immediately before the statement was made. Give the prospect of peace a chance. There have already been far too many deaths."
According to a statement from NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg, "Russia's irresponsible and unprovoked aggression on Ukraine, which puts countless civilian lives in danger, is deeply regrettable." Russia has chosen the road of aggression against a sovereign and independent country once again, despite our repeated warnings and persistent efforts to engage in diplomatic dialogue."
President Charles Michel of the European Council and President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission have both pledged to keep the Kremlin responsible.
"During these dark hours, our thoughts are with Ukraine and the innocent women, men, and children who are being subjected to an unjustified onslaught and are fearful for their lives," the group wrote on Twitter.
Even before Putin's statement, dozens of countries slapped sanctions on the country, further isolating Russian billionaires and banks from international markets and putting them at risk of bankruptcy.
In response to the sanctions, Russia's Foreign Ministry stated that "Russia has demonstrated that, despite the price of the sanctions, it is capable of minimizing the harm."
The fear of war has already wreaked havoc on Ukraine's economy, raising the specter of widespread deaths, widespread energy shortages across Europe, and worldwide economic upheaval as a result.
