Ukrainian Issue | Putin orders military invasion of Ukraine

Defence Redefined

24/02/2022

In a speech broadcast by Russian television around 5:00 (Greek time) on February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine, calling on Ukrainian soldiers at the contact line in Donbas to lay down their arms.

A few minutes later, explosions were heard in Donetsk as well as in Kyiv, Kharkiv, but also in Mariupol in the east and Odesa in the south.

Ukrainian media, citing a senior member of the security services of the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky, report that Kyiv is preparing to immediately declare martial law across the country.

The military action was preceded by a request from the separatist leadership in Donetsk and Luhansk to Russia for military assistance in the face of “Ukrainian aggression” – precisely on the pretext of invasion and aggression. In the last few hours, the Russian media have also been constantly reporting on “Ukrainian attacks” in Donbas, while as of Wednesday night, Ukrainian government websites have been under massive attacks.

About an hour before Putin’s speech, the airspace of eastern Ukraine was closed. Following the launch of the operation, the Ukrainian government announced that it was closing its entire airspace to civil aviation due to the high risk to aviation safety.

In his speech, Vladimir Putin said the operation was aimed at “protecting the people of eastern Ukraine,” arguing that the conditions required Russia to take decisive action.

He said the Russian government could no longer tolerate threats from Ukraine, referring specifically to a “military operation” to “demilitarize and de-nazify” Ukraine.

He called on Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms and go home, saying that the Ukrainian regime was responsible for any bloodshed and that the occupation was not an end in itself. In case of foreign interference, he said that Russia would react immediately.

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According to the announcement of the intelligence office of the Ukrainian Army General Staff, today, February 24, at 5:00 am the armed forces of the Russian Federation began an intensive bombardment of Ukrainian units in the east, dropping missiles/bombs on airports in Boryspil, Ozerne, Kulbakino, Chuhuiv, Kramatorsk, Chornobaivka as well as on the military bases of the Ukrainian Army. 

At the same time, Russian forces launched artillery bombardments of areas and settlements along state borders and administrative borders with temporarily occupied Crimean territories.

The Ukrainian Forces, exercising their right to self-defence in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, are confronting the enemy’s attempts to violate state borders. The situation is under control. Russian troops are suffering casualties.

So far, the announcement continues, 5 planes and 2 helicopters of the Russian Forces have been shot down, two tanks have been damaged, several wheeled vehicles of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have been destroyed.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine gave orders to inflict maximum damage on the attacker. There are no casualties among Ukrainian defenders. Finally, the announcement ends with the following messages: “We are on our ground and we will not give up! Together in Victory! ”

Also read: Russia | Completion of exercises and withdrawal of forces from Crimea