Russia launched a full-scale military attack on Ukraine that opened air and missile attacks on Ukrainian military facilities.
The attack followed with troops and tanks rolled across the borders from the north, south and east. Ukrainian military is also fighting back on multiple fronts.
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed in a video address early on Friday, February 25, 2022, that 137 people, both servicemen and civilians, have died with hundreds more wounded.
A Senior United States Defence official said Russia may be determined to seize Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, among other key cities and ultimately installing a more friendly government.
As Ukrainian forces are fighting back, civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. The US and European leaders have also hit Russia with strong financial sanctions, while NATO has moved to strengthen its eastern flank.
Putin Makes his Move
By far, reports indicated that when the attack began, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, said it was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine. Putin averred Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists have been fighting for almost eight years.
The Russian leader warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would “lead to consequences you have never seen in history”.
Putin accused the US and its allies of ignoring Russia’s demands to block Ukraine from ever joining NATO and offer Moscow security guarantees.
Putin stated that Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine but plans to “demilitarise” it, a means to destroy its armed forces. He urged Ukrainian servicemen to “immediately put down arms and go home”.
Soon after his address, explosions were heard in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa. The Russian Defence Ministry said it has destroyed 83 Ukrainian military facilities.
Zelenskyy Responds to Russian attack
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, urged residents to remain calm and stay at home. He also pleaded with world leaders to punish Putin with even more severe sanctions.
Zelenskyy promised that Ukraine will defend itself and ordered a full military mobilisation. Ukraine’s army stands at 250,000 service members with 140,000 reservists. According to the US, Russia had nearly 200,000 troops arrayed near Ukraine’s borders before the invasion began.
Zelenskyy disclosed that information suggests he is the No. 1 target for the invading Russians, but said he is determined to remain in Kyiv.
An Uneasy Night in Kyiv
Later on Thursday (February 24, 2022) evening, many of the capital’s (Kyiv) residents took shelter deep underground in metro stations. People brought sleeping bags and blankets, dogs and crossword puzzles to pass an uneasy night in the makeshift bomb shelters.
Kyiv Mayor, Vitali Klitschko called on the city’s three million people to stay indoors unless they worked in critical sectors. He advised everyone to prepare go-bags with necessities such as medicine and documents.
Chernobyl in Russian Hands
Ukraine said it lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear site after Ukrainian forces waged a fierce battle with Russian troops. A nuclear reactor at the plant 130km (81 miles) north of Kyiv exploded in April 1986, sending a radioactive cloud across Europe. The damaged reactor was later covered by a protective shell.
Alyona Shevtsova, an adviser to the commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, noted that the staff had been “taken hostage” when Russian troops seized the facility.
The White House Press Secretary expressed alarm, saying it could hamper efforts to maintain the nuclear facility.
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