Videos: Putin declares war on Ukraine – invasion underway Russia's President Vladimir Putin. (Alexei Nikolsky/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS/Abaca Press/TNS)
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a television address early Thursday morning from the Kremlin that Russia has decided to launch a “special military action” to demilitarize Ukraine. The announcement is expected to be a declaration of war against Ukraine.
Putin order of military operation in Ukraine pic.twitter.com/sXwLA6IHJF
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) February 24, 2022
Shortly after Putin’s speech, reports from the ground said that Russian forces had begun entering Ukraine from Crimea.
BREAKING: Kharkiv, Ukraine right now.#Ukraina #Russia pic.twitter.com/lWOgRWhIPL
— Live Conflict (@LiveConflict) February 24, 2022
Explosions could be heard and seen in live video coverage on the ground.
PUTIN: "To anyone who would consider interfering from the outside: if you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me."
Russia is now attacking Ukraine. Brutal #RussiaUkraineCrisis pic.twitter.com/OpJtAudBn0— Chris Mancuso (@MancusoTOFC) February 24, 2022
In his speech, which took place at approximately 6 a.m. in Russia, Putin called on Ukrainians to lay down their weapons, and said they would be allowed to return to their families.
🇺🇦 Kharkiv is officially being struck by major strikes. #Russia #Ukraine #UkraineWar #RussiaWar #Europe #EU #NATO #US [30] pic.twitter.com/RI5nVtzXHQ
— World Events Live – Jon (@IdeologyWars) February 24, 2022
Putin said the U.S. and its allies refused to meet Russia’s security guarantees and demands to keep Ukraine from joining NATO. He said Russia’s military operation to demilitarize Ukraine was necessary to protect civilians, warning those who try to intervene in Russia’s efforts will be met with a military response.
Sen. Marco Rubio, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said late Wednesday in the U.S. that in the coming hours, Russia will “conduct strikes on air defense systems, move to cut off Kyiv from eastern Ukraine, move to cut off Ukraine’s military forces on the line of contact in the east to prevent them from falling back to defend Kyiv.”
Ukraine had declared a national emergency and closed its airspace to civilian flights earlier Wednesday. By later in the day, only U.S. drones were flying overhead, according to flight tracking data.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby warned during a press briefing Wednesday afternoon that Russia had achieved “an advanced stage of readiness to act – to conduct military action in Ukraine,” adding that an attack could take place “virtually any time now.”
He noted that Russia has amassed some 150,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, and forces were moving closer to the border. “We believe they are ready,” he said.
On Monday, Putin signed a document signifying Russia’s recognition of the sovereignty of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR or DPR) and the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR or LPR), two areas in eastern Ukraine that have been held by Russian-backed separatists. Shortly after recognizing the DNR and LNR as sovereign, and therefore separate from Ukraine, Putin ordered Russian troops already gathered on Ukraine’s border to cross over under the pretense of protecting the separatist areas from a Ukrainian attack.
President Joe Biden issued sanctions against the DNR and LNR, an act that Putin threatened would be met with a “strong response.”
