Kyiv: Russian aggression and counter-attack on Ukraine have created an atmosphere of war in the region. Russia’s land, naval, and air forces entered Ukraine at around 5 am local time yesterday. President Vladimir Putin announced on television that he would launch a military operation. Putin’s announcement comes shortly after Ukrainian President Vladimir Selensky announced the end of diplomatic relations with Russia. Within minutes, the attack began. The first missile strike targeted military bases and buildings along the border. Including the air, the base was attacked. Locals said there were reports of explosions in the wake of the Russian attack in all major cities, including the capital Kyiv. People sought refuge in underground metros and bunkers. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said the Russian attack was carried out using sophisticated bombs and long-range missiles. In addition to Kyiv, major cities such as Kharkiv, Mariupol, and Dnipro were attacked. This was followed by a counterattack by Ukraine. In the evening, airstrikes were reported in areas including the capital, Kyiv.
Ukrainian police say there have been 203 attacks in various parts of the country. Russia claims to have destroyed 74 military bases, including 11 airfields. In Ukraine, 40 soldiers and 10 civilians were reported killed in the attacks. Ukraine has blamed Russian airstrikes on a hospital in Donetsk for killing four people and wounding 10 others.
Meanwhile, Ukraine claims to have killed 50 Russian soldiers. The Ukrainian military has said it is defending a Russian military offensive at an airbase in Kyiv. A state of emergency has been declared in Ukraine and neighboring Lithuania following the outbreak of war. The Russian government has also issued a decree banning anti-war activities. In a televised address, Vladimir Putin said that Donbas had called on Russia to help the People’s Republic of Russia. Days ago, Russia decided to recognize the two independent republics of eastern Ukraine as the Donbas People’s Republic. NATO, meanwhile, has said it has no plans to send troops to Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops and locals joined Russia in the aftermath of the war. Twenty-six members of the security forces have defected to Russia, saying they do not want to serve Ukraine. They reached the center of Briask. At the same time, 16 Ukrainians fled the country to Dhansko, Crimea.
