Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of war and the launch of airstrikes on Wednesday night, the death toll continued to rise in the hours that followed.
This brought an end to weeks of diplomacy deadlock and descending Eastern Europe into the disaster of conflict and bloodshed not seen since darkest days of World War II.
According to Aleksey Arestovich, an assistant to the director of the country’s presidential office, more than 40 people were murdered. Several dozen others were injured after missile attacks were conducted in the country.
Six Russian planes and one chopper were shot down, according to the Ukrainian military, which stated the attack was still underway. According to the military, four Russian tanks were reportedly demolished and 50 Russian soldiers were killed.
Remarkable. Putin declares war on Ukraine DURING the emergency UN Security Council meeting intended to prevent that war.
Then it ends with the meeting's Russian chair declaring that Moscow's only aggression is "against the junta in Kyiv" and gaveling it to a close. What a farce.— Dave Lawler (@DavidLawler10) February 24, 2022
The initial wave of attacks came from the air. Later, Ukrainian officials reported ground invasions in a number of locations.
Border guards on Thursday revealed security camera footage showing a convoy of Russian military trucks going into Ukraine’s government-held territory via Russian-annexed Crimea, according to the BBC.
More Details on the Story
Using the pretext of self-defense, Putin stated Russia was conducting a “special military operation” aimed at demilitarizing the country.
Putin launched the mission in a live televised statement that appeared before 6 a.m. local time, warning countries that intervene would face “consequences they have never seen.”
An explosion was reported in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, as well as in Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Mariupol, immediately following the speech. However, it was not directly evident as to what the objectives were.
According to CNN footage, Russian tanks crossed the border into Sen’kivka, Ukraine, from Belarus on Thursday. After explosives were heard in the nation’s capital, television stations broadcast images of the ground assault.
JUST IN – According to a senior US defence official, Russia's operations in Ukraine are just getting started.
"What we are seeing is initial phases of a large scale invasion" per the official "They're making a move on Kyiv"
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) February 24, 2022
Due to the fact the region was deemed a hotbed of warfare, commercial aircraft were barred from flying above Ukrainian airspace.
An advisory from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency stated there is a possibility of “intentional targeting,” as well as “misidentification” of civilian aircraft.
To Be Continued?
Putin stated the Kremlin had no interest in occupying the country; he also blamed the Ukrainian government for any possible bloodshed that might occur.
In recent years, international intelligence agencies predicted Russian President Vladimir Putin will utilize “false flag” operations to justify his country’s aggression against Ukraine.
Russia launched an “unprovoked and unjustifiable attack” on the United States, according to Biden, who issued a statement immediately after the military operation began.
According to him, “Putin has chosen a deliberate war that would result in a terrible loss of life, as well as human misery.”
According to a translation, Putin addressed the Ukrainian military directly in his statements, pushing them to lay away their guns and surrender.
According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, Biden received a briefing on the Russian strike on Ukraine in a confidential phone call late Wednesday.
