Kyiv: Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday amid this 18 have been killed in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. At Kyiv they had attacked a military base.
Putin’s announcement has led to killing of dozens and forcing hundreds to flee for their lives in the pro-Western neighbour.
The air strikes by Russia have hit the military facilities throughout the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, triggering condemnation from Western leaders and warnings of massive sanctions.
Russia has massed over 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders in what the West and said was the biggest military build-up in Europe since the Second World War.
On Thursday making a television announcement and clarifying his intentions, “I have decided to proceed with a special military operation,” Putin said.
After his announcement the first bombardments were heard in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and several other cities, according to AFP correspondents. According to an AFP tally from various Ukrainian official sources, at least 68 people including army men have been killed. 18 people were killed at a military base near Ukraine’s Black Sea port city of Odessa.
Ukraine’s army men guarding borders said Russian forces had reached the region around the capital, Kyiv.
An AFP reporter in the northern part of the city saw several low-flying helicopters overhead amid reports that an airfield was under attack.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said a “full-scale invasion” was underway.
President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law and said Russia was attacking his country’s “military infrastructure” but urged citizens not to panic and vowed victory.
Russia has attacked Ukraine in what could be the start of war in Europe over Russia’s demands for an end to NATO’s eastward expansion.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called for a NATO summit “as soon as possible” after Russia launched an attack on its neighbour Ukraine, his office said.
“The President wishes for a NATO summit to be held as soon as possible, in coordination with our partners and allies,” the presidency said, matching calls from Britain and Poland ahead of a press conference later in the day by NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
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