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Russian forces began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine overnight Wednesday as Vladimir Putin announced in a pre-taped speech the start of a “special military operation,” and instructed Ukrainians to lay down their arms, and warned other countries not to interfere.
“Russia will respond immediately and you will have consequences that you never have had before in your history,” Putin said, as the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting in which leader after leader condemned the unprovoked attack.
“Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” Ukraine foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted at 10:58 p.m. Eastern time. “Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.”
Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes. This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022
Ukraine’s foreign ministry said in a statement: “Russian troops are carrying out strikes on peaceful Ukrainian cities from various directions, including from the side of the temporarily occupied Donbas and Crimea, as well as the northeastern region. This is an act of war, an attack on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a gross violation of the UN Statute and the fundamental norms and principles of international law.”
The ministry added that its forces would fight back: “The moral [sic] of the Ukrainian military is high, our defenders are ready to give a decisive dividend to the aggressor state and will protect Ukrainian land with all their might.”
President Joe Biden said in a statement, “The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Biden confirmed that he had talked with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding in a separate statement: “Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
