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Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a ‘full-scale invasion’ of Ukraine yesterday, killing dozens and forcing thousands to flee for their lives in the pro-Western neighbour.
Russian air strikes hit military facilities across the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, triggering condemnation from Western leaders and warnings of massive sanctions.
Weeks of intense diplomacy failed to deter Putin, who massed over 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders in what the West said was the biggest military build-up in Europe since the Second World War.
“I have decided to proceed with a special military operation,” Putin said in a television announcement in the early hours of yesterday.
“We will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine,” he added.
Shortly afterwards, the first bombardments were heard in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and several other cities, according to AFP correspondents.
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.
He accused Russia of acting like “Nazi Germany”, saying it had attacked in a “cowardly and suicidal way”.
Ukrainian forces said they had killed “around 50 Russian occupiers” while repulsing an attack on a town on the frontline with Moscow-backed rebels, a toll that could not be immediately confirmed by AFP.
Kyiv’s main international airport was hit in the first bombing of the city since World War II and air raid sirens sounded over the capital at the break of dawn.
