Minutes before six o’clock this morning in Moscow, one hour less in Kiev, the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, appeared on television to announce the beginning of a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine. With that speech, which came at the same time as the United Nations Security Council held another emergency meeting on the crisis, which now enters a new stage, one that several world leaders have warned the Europe is faced with the risk of its worst conflict since World War II.
Shortly after Putin’s intervention, sounds of explosions were heard from the center of Kiev in the distance, followed by the sounds of sirens. These same sounds have been heard in other cities in Ukraine and there have been reports of large explosions visible near Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, as well as near the towns of Mariupol and Dnipro.
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The Ukrainian Ministry of Interior has issued a statement in which it has stated: “the invasion has begun” and Western military sources have reported that strategic military targets have been attacked.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry has assured that it is not targeting Ukrainian cities and that “nothing threatens the civilian population” of the country according to the Russian state agency RIA Novosti. They claim that they are using “high precision weapons” to disable military infrastructure, facilities and air forces of the Ukrainian army.
Putin’s arguments and threats
In his speech Putin reiterated his usual accusations against the Kiev government, which he accuses of “persecution and genocide” of Russian speakers and inhabitants of the separatist areas of Donetsk and Lugansk whose independence he recognized on Monday. He said that the “aim” of the military action will be to seek the “demilitarization and ‘denazification’ of Ukraine“, vowing to “bring to justice those who have committed multiple bloody crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation”.
In recent months the Kremlin has been deploying military equipment and troops, up to 190,000 troops according to U.S. estimates, to Ukraine’s borders, including about 30,000 in Belarus. Putin has stated in his speech that his “plans do not include occupying Ukrainian territory.”
He has likewise described the operation as a response to NATO’s potential eastward expansion, which he has defined as a “matter of life and death” for Russia. “It’s the red line I’ve talked about many times. They have crossed it,” said the Russian leader, who in his brief speech also had time for threats.
“Anyone who tries to interfere, or even makes threats to our country and our people, should know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will bring them consequences they have never experienced before in history,” he said . “We are ready for anything that happens.”
Live on @CNN air- Matthew Chance hears loud explosions in the Capital City of Kyiv. Unclear where they came from- but they happened just minutes after Putin effectively declared war on Ukraine. Moments later Chance put a flack jacket on live on the air. pic.twitter.com/EQgsKPzlJQ
– Ryan Nobles (@ryanobles) February 24, 2022
Zelenski declares martial law
In Ukraine, President Volodimir Zelenski addressed the nation shortly before 7am, announcing the declaration of martial law due to the Russian attack. Zelenski has not specified what restrictions will be implemented. Since midnight the whole country was in a state of emergency, which allowed limitations on freedom of movement and the establishment of police controls.
Zelenski has held talks with several leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden; who is due to hold a meeting with the other G7 members on Thursday after which a new round of sanctions on Russia is expected to be announced, and who in a statement half an hour after Putin’s announcement assured that “the world will hold Russia to account”.
The Ukrainian president also spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johson, Polish President Andrzek Duda and Council of Europe President Charles Michel and called for “immediate sanctions, defense and financial support.” “The world must force Russia to peace,” he wrote on his Twitter account.
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