Story by Matthew Giffin / Contributing Writer
Russian missiles and airstrikes bombarded Ukraine and its capital city this morning, leaving dozens dead and at least some Ukrainian military buildings in ruin. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces claim to have entirely destroyed Ukraine’s air defenses hours after Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Many are calling it the largest European attack since World War II.
Ukrainian border guard reported shelling from several sides, including Crimea in the south and Belarus in the north. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry has told citizens to go to shelters amidst reports of explosions and rising smoke in different Ukrainian cities. Russian tanks and troops have been seen flowing across the border. As a result, Ukrainian citizens have been reported fleeing to trains and roads heading out of the country.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video to social media, saying his government has introduced martial law and that he had a meeting with his United States counterpart President Joe Biden, who said he was gathering international support. “Today, we need each of you to be calm,” Zelenskyy said to Ukrainian citizens. “Don’t panic. We are strong. We are ready for everything, and we will defeat everyone because we are Ukraine. Glory to Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy also said in a Tweet that the government would “give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities.”
“Whoever would try to stop us…should know that Russia’s response will be immediate and lead you to such consequences that you have never faced in your history,” Putin said in a televised address preceding the attack. “We are ready for any outcome.” He also unfoundedly claimed Ukrainian “genocide” and said he was responding to calls for military aid from the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and “Luhansk People’s Republic,” which he officially recognized as independent states from Ukraine earlier this week. The two separatist territories in Ukraine’s Donbas region have been fighting Ukraine’s government since 2014 and have received material and military support from Moscow.
The attack has prompted NATO ambassadors to gather this morning and pledge to defend Ukraine, despite their lacking NATO membership. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia’s attack was “a grave breach of international law and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security.” The U.S. and its allies have increased their military presence in the NATO countries surrounding Russia in response to Russian hostility.
Stock markets dived, and oil prices skyrocketed after the Russian attack, which was prefaced by Biden’s announced economic sanctions on Tuesday.
Western warnings of Russian invasion have flooded the airwaves as Russian military and rhetorical pressure built up around Ukraine, a country the size of Texas. The U.S. has known of Russia’s intent to conquer the former Soviet state for some time and has responded with a slowness to military conflict or harsh economic sanctions. Biden made several attempts at diplomacy with his Russian counterpart, who recently claimed there was no reason for Ukraine to exist and was “entirely created by Russia.”
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