In many Ukrainian cities, explosions were heard. We have declared martial law in Ukraine, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday morning.
He then took to Twitter in order to spread the message further:
“Spoke to President Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz. Also, Andrzej duda, Boris Johnson, the President of European Council. I asked them to stop Putin’s war against Ukraine and the world immediately. Building an anti-Putin alliance. Immediate sanctions and financial & defense support for Ukraine! Close the airspace Zelensky tweeted: “The world must force Russia to peace.”
Later that day, he broke diplomatic relations with Russia and urged Ukrainians to join the fight. He also urged Russians to protest the government’s actions. “We have already distributed weapons to protect our country. “Anyone who hasn’t lost their conscience in Russia, should come out and demonstrate against the war with Ukraine,” said he.
Early that morning, troops and military vehicles crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine and launched an attack that world leaders condemned as the beginning of a Russian invasion which could “cause mass casualties and topple Ukraine’s democratically-elected government.”
Euronews reported that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine issued a statement saying “five enemy aircraft as well as a helicopter have been shot down.” “The united forces provide a strong resistance to the airborne forces of the Russian Federation.” The military units have taken up their positions. “The enemy is suffering,” added he.
The Russian side denied losses.
Luhansk Sumy and Chernihiv, all in eastern Ukraine, were attacked, while tanks fought on the outskirts Kharkiv, after paratroopers landed. The Daily Mail reported that blasts were also heard in the west in Zhytomyr, Lviv and close to the border of Poland.
“Extraordinary footage showed what appeared as a Kalibur missile slamming Ivano-Frankivsk Airport. A Kharkiv apartment block was also hit, causing civilian casualties including a young boy.
“Pro-Russian rebels pushed out of the occupied Donbas area, capturing two village and claiming that they shot down two Ukrainian jets from the sky. Also attacked were the port cities of Mariupol, Odessa and Kiev’s main naval base in Odessa. “Russian tankers appeared to blockade the Kerch Strait that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov and cut off Mariupol”, Daily Mail reporters wrote.
Unian, a Ukrainian news agency, reported that 40 Ukrainian soldiers were killed by the Russian aggression as of 3pm on Thursday.
Joe Biden, the US president, publicly condemned the attack after hearing directly from the Ukrainian president about the Russian actions on Thursday.
Biden said, “The President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine contacted me…I condemned the unjustified Russian military attack.”
“I informed him about the steps we were taking to condemn the aggression internationally, including at UN Security Council. He asked me to urge world leaders to condemn President Putin’s terrible aggression and stand up for the Ukrainian people. I will meet the leaders of G7 and the United States, our allies, and partners will impose harsh sanctions on Russia.
Biden added, “We will continue our support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian People.”
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called on Russia immediately to cease hostilities and withdraw its military from Ukraine and fully respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty.
In a joint statement, they said that such coercion and use of force “has no place in 21st-century society.”
The statement reads: “President Michel convened urgently an extraordinary meeting of European Council.” The EU leaders will meet today to discuss the crisis, and further restrictive measures which will impose massive and serious consequences on Russia. This will be done in close coordination with transatlantic partners. The President von der Leyen is expected to outline a new sanctions package that the European Commission has finalized and which will be adopted by the Council.
“We regret the loss of lives and the humanitarian suffering. The EU and its Member states are ready to respond urgently to a humanitarian crisis. We call on Russia, and armed formations backed by Russia, to respect international humanitarian laws.
“The EU stands firm by Ukraine and the people of Ukraine as they face a crisis unlike any other. The EU will continue to provide political, financial and humanitarian assistance.
“We are working with our international partners to coordinate our response, including NATO and G7 whose leaders meet today.”
Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister, said: “We are shocked at the terrible events that are happening in Ukraine.” President Putin has chosen a path of destruction and bloodshed by attacking Ukraine.
Council of Europe Secretary-General Marija Pejcinovic Buric issued a statement in which she said that “she strongly condemned the Russian military assault against Ukraine, which was a flagrant violation of both the Statute of Council of Europe as well as the European Convention on Human Rights.” This is a dark time for Europe and all it stands for.
“I call on the authorities of Russia cease hostilities immediately and unconditionally and return to diplomacy in order to restore peace and prevent further devastating consequences for an entire continent. Priority must be given to protecting civilian lives. “All my thoughts are with Ukraine and its people,” she said.
“We will take the necessary measures, together with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to respond to the present situation.”
Shalva Papuashvili is the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia. He responded to the events on Twitter and declared his support for Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, war in Ukraine was inevitable. We call again on the international community for effective and firm measures to stop Russia from escalating to a full-scale war and ensure the protection international norms. “We stand with Ukraine during these difficult times,” he said on Twitter.
The Build-Up
Ukrainians in Russia are advised to leave
On Wednesday, February 23, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked its people to refrain their travel to Russia and to leave immediately those Ukrainians already in Russia.
The statement read: “Due the intensification of Russian aggression towards Ukraine, which could also lead to a substantial limitation on the ability to provide consular assistance on Russian soil, the Foreign Ministry advises Ukrainians to refrain from travelling to the Russian Federation, for whatever purpose, and, if they are there, to immediately leave its territory.”
Sanctions
The EU imposed sanctions against 27 individuals and entities, including members of the Russian Duma, on Wednesday, after Russia recognized on Monday the “independence”, or so-called “independence”, of Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region and Luhansk region.
As Reuters reported: “All members of Russia’s Duma (the lower house of parliament) will be hit by EU sanctions which typically include travel bans and assets freezes.”
“This package, which was unanimously approved by member states, will harm Russia and it will hurt quite a bit,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said at a press conference with France’s Foreign Minister during a meeting in Paris.
US President Joe Biden has imposed sanctions against two Russian banks, the Russian State Development Corporation and Russian Military Bank. Sanctions are also being imposed on Russia’s sovereign debt, which means that Moscow will be prohibited from placing state debt bonds in America or Europe.
Scott Morrison, Australia’s prime minister, announced sanctions against Russia that target energy, oil and gas, transport, telecommunications, mineral reserves, and telecommunications.
“The invasion of Ukraine is already underway.” “Russia is now at its peak readiness to complete a full scale invasion of Ukraine and that will likely occur within the next 24-hours,” Morrison said Wednesday.
Olaf Scholz said that Germany would stop Nord Stream 2 because Russia had “recognized” the independence of occupied Donetsk & Luhansk.
Scholz said Tuesday, “I asked the Economy Ministry to withdraw the existing analysis of supply security.”
He said that it was now up to the international community how they would react to this unjustified, one-sided and incomprehensible action by the Russian President. “Send a strong message to Moscow that such actions will not be tolerated,” he said. He said that Germany’s response was the administrative step that was needed to prevent any certification of the pipeline.
Nord Stream 2 will be the pipeline that Russian natural gas will use to reach Europe. The construction of the pipeline is complete, but it still needs to be certified by a German regulator before commissioning. This process has been suspended ever since last fall.
The US opposed construction of the pipeline because they believed that it would increase Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov Speaks to his Army
“The Kremlin took another step towards the restoration Soviet Union.” In a Tuesday address to the military, Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov said that the only thing separating them is Ukraine and the Ukrainian Army.
“Thanks for your courage, dedication, and professionalism, we have foiled the plans of those who have waged a worthless, futile war, hiding behind women and children. They have set fire to homes and schools, tortured and kidnapped, intimidated and lied, and robbed us of our land. Yesterday, he revealed the true face of a criminal, one who wants to escape the free world. He is afraid and realizes his own guilt. He tries to unite the groups around him in a shared responsibility. Reznikov said that the crime committed would lead to punishment.
“Now, we will see more and more real friends with us, not those ‘friends,’ who were calling us to capitulate.
“There will be losses and difficulties, but they will lead to our victory, because we are in our own country and the truth is ours.” Our nation supports the Ukrainian army. The faith of the people is a sign we are doing things right. “Our strength lies in our unity, self-confidence and a cold mentality,” he concluded.
Salome Zurabishvili, the President of Georgia, spoke out on Monday against Russia’s recognition of Donetsk & Luhansk as independent States.
She tweeted: “Georgia condemns Russia’s recognition of Ukraine’s Donetsk region and Luhansk region, which repeats the same scenario that led to Georgia’s occupation of 20% of its territory.” “Georgia is with you, President Zelensky and in support for Ukraine’s territorial unity and peace,” she continued.
Irakli Garibashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, also condemned Russia’s action. He said it was a further step in violating fundamental principles of international laws.
“Russia’s recognition Donetsk Luhansk is a further step against the fundamental principles international law, and unfortunately, repeats Georgian territory occupation in 2008. Garibashvili wrote: “We strongly support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of Parliament, also stated that Russia violated international law.
“In this situation, a strong position by the international community will be crucial to prevent a conflict in Ukraine and do everything possible to uphold fundamental principles of international laws. Papuashvili stated that it is crucial for the Western partners take a strong stand to ensure two things, the prohibition of war and enforcement of international laws.
He said that the Georgian government, as part of sanctions, is guided by the interests of the country and the Georgian people.
“If you examine Zelensky’s statement, it is an honorable position when he maintains his composure and firmness during this difficult situation and when he emphasizes that war cannot be allowed, and that other levers must be used in order to enforce international law principles. Papuashvili stated that the government would act on the same principles.
The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “Georgia unambiguously supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” “We hope that the international community will respond with a strict assessment of this further violation of fundamental principles of international laws, and to the absolutely inacceptable attempt to redraw the state boundaries in Eastern Europe by force.”
Putin Recognizes the So-Called Independence of Occupied Donetsk & Luhansk
On February 21, Russia recognized what it called the “independence” of occupied Donetsk & Luhansk.
“Given the present situation, I’ve decided to recognize the independent of Donetsk & Luhansk,” announced Russian President Putin. “I request that the Federation Council ratify this immediately. Then, a decision will be made on the assistance to be provided to these republics.
“All the bloodshed and consequences of development will be paid for by the ruling government in Ukraine.” “I hope that the Russian people will support these decisions,” he said.
The announcement was made following a broadcast of an extraordinary meeting of the national security council.
The Russian Duma wrote to Putin on February 15, demanding the recognition of so-called Donetsk People’s Republics and Luhansk People’s Republics.
Two days later, Putin released an address in which he stated that he was “seeing how the international situation is becoming complicated” and that “Russia will always be ready for a dialogue,” but that the interests and safety of its citizens were “unconditional.”
“Our country is always ready for a direct and correct dialog; to solve the most difficult diplomatic problems. I repeat, the interests and safety of our citizens is paramount to us. We will therefore continue to develop and enhance the army and navy,” said he.
On Monday, 21st of January, the Joint Operations Headquarters of Ukraine reported that Russia had fired 136 times on Donbas in the previous 24 hours. This included 116 times using weapons prohibited by the Minsk Agreement.
The agency reported that two servicemen died and four others were injured. According to reports, no civilians have been hit.
The Russian side confirmed this information, but claimed that the victims were members of a’sabotage group’ and were planning an ‘attempt at terrorism.
The West had warned for several weeks about the possibility of a Russian invasion in Ukraine. On February 18, the US president said that Vladimir Putin was already planning an attack. Official Moscow denied that.
On February 18, it became known that separatist leaders backed by Russia, led by the self proclaimed republics Donetsk & Luhansk, in eastern Ukraine had begun evacuating a part of the population.
Both separatist leaders declared their full military readiness on February 19. They spoke of “planned aggression” by Kyiv, a claim Ukraine denies.
The Ukrainian military intelligence service also said that it had received information regarding the mining of infrastructure in Donetsk. The agency claims that this is part preparation for a “fake” attack, which is meant to blame the enemy for the attack and start a war.
By Team GT
Read More @ georgiatoday.ge