As of early this morning, February 24, 2022, Russia has begun a large-scale military attack on Ukraine, its southern neighbor, on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In a televised speech at 5:55 Moscow time, Mr. Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region — parts of which have been occupied and run by Russian-backed rebels since 2014.
Soon there after, explosions were heard across the country — including in the capital and at least three other regions of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s President said Russia had carried out missile strikes on Ukraine’s infrastructure and on border guards.
Russia’s defense ministry has denied attacking Ukrainian cities — saying it was targeting military infrastructure, air defense and air forces with “high-precision weapons.”
According to reporting by BBC News, about 10 Ukrainian civilians are believed to have been killed. A Ukrainian presidential adviser said that more than 40 soldiers had died and dozens more were wounded, according to BBC News.
The attack comes after months of troop and tank buildups, grim warnings of violence and vague assurances of peace, and many efforts at diplomacy in Washington, D.C, the United Nations and the capitals of Europe.
U.S. President Biden said that President Putin’s actions would bring “a catastrophic loss of life” and promised “severe sanctions” against Russia.
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