Russia has launched an all-out attack on Ukraine. President Zelensky ordered martial law. According to Ukraine, the enemy is attacking them from all sides. The events so far, minute by minute!
8:31 Leader of Donetsk separatists to the Ukrainian army: Save your lives!
Eduard Baszurin, the deputy leader of the Donetsk separatist people's militia, called on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms. "I call on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms. Save your lives! Then you can rebuild your country, we will rebuild a peaceful life together," he told the correspondent of the Russian news agency TASSSZ.
8:11 This is how the world's leading politicians reacted to the news of the war
By clicking here, you can read the reactions of Joe Biden, Ursula Von der Leyen, and Péter Szijjártó, among others.
8:00 Russian Defense Ministry: There is no threat to the civilian population
The military infrastructure of the air bases of the Ukrainian armed forces has become inoperable, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday. The ministry named Ukrainian military infrastructure, air defense equipment, military airports and the Ukrainian Air Force as targets, and also claimed that the civilian population was not threatened. The ministry also called the claim that a Russian plane was shot down in Ukraine's airspace untrue. I am also interested in more…
7:54 The German Chancellor spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi
Scholz called on Russia to stop the operation immediately and said that the German government is closely cooperating with its allies in the G7 group, NATO and the European Union. The chancellor spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and assured Ukraine and the Ukrainian people of Germany's solidarity, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
7:31 Ukrainian military claims to have shot down five Russian planes
The Ukrainian military says five Russian warplanes and a helicopter were shot down over Lugansk. The information was not confirmed by independent sources or the Russians - reports 444. - I'm interested in more!
7:16 It is better if everyone stays at home now, but those who are worried can go to the shelter
An aerial threat was recorded in Kiev, the leadership of the Ukrainian capital announced on the Telegram messaging portal on Thursday. The city administration asked the people of Kyiv to go to shelters immediately if the sirens go off. I am also interested in more…
7:14 He consulted with Blinken and Austin Stoltenberg about NATO's coordinated response
According to the information provided by the US State Department, the parties also discussed further steps to be taken for the security of NATO's eastern wing. Blinken emphasized that the United States' commitment to Article 5 of the military alliance, which includes the principle of collective defense, is "rock solid". I am also interested in more…
7:11 Szijjártó: Hungary stands by Ukraine
Hungary's position is clear: we stand for Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Hungary is, of course, still a part of all allied consultations today, and will be a part of them, which refer to decisions on the provision of a coordinated response, announced Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó on Thursday morning. The head of the ministry emphasized: War is the worst scenario. The most important task now, as always, is to guarantee the safety of the Hungarian people. He added:
Our embassy in Kyiv is open and available to Hungarians residing in Ukraine. My colleagues will provide all assistance on site".
7:08 The UN Security Council is holding an extraordinary meeting
Another extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council has begun in New York, which is the second extraordinary meeting in three days, reports the BBC. The council meeting began after the Kremlin claimed that breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine had asked Russia for military help, accusing Ukraine of "aggression". However, it is doubtful what they will be able to achieve at the meeting, given that Russia has a veto... I am also interested in more...
6:54 The United States and its allies are determined to "hold Russia accountable" for this
Biden said Wednesday night local time that he would monitor the situation at the White House and that his security team would keep him informed of developments. On Thursday morning, according to previous plans, he will consult with the leaders of the seven most developed industrial countries (G7) on further steps. I am also interested in more…
Early morning news
Early Thursday, Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine. According to the UNIAN news agency, at least four explosions took place in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, a powerful explosion in Odesa in the southern part of the country, Kharkiv in the eastern part of the country and Bergyansk on the coast of the Sea of Azov. Meanwhile, on the front line in the Donets Basin
the separatists subjected the positions of the Ukrainian armed forces to heavy artillery fire.
According to Ukraine, they are being attacked from all sides
According to the Ukrainian Border Guard Service, the country was attacked from several sides. According to their report, the border of Ukraine with Russia and Belarus was also attacked, both by Russian and Belarusian troops. The attacks hit border guard units and checkpoints, with shelling, heavy and light weapons.
According to the Ukrainians, the Russians are also attacking from the Crimea.
According to their announcement, the Ukrainian army, national guard and border guard are also "firing at the enemy".
Witnesses heard explosions from the Boryspil International Airport in the capital, Kyiv, and in the districts on the left bank of the Dnieper River.
As a result of Russian airstrikes on Thursday morning, residential buildings were damaged in Kyiv, the Ukrainian Disaster Management Service announced. There have been no reports of personal injuries so far.
Russia has closed its airspace to civilian aircraft along its western border with Ukraine and Belarus until March 2, Russian aviation authorities said on Tuesday.
The decision was justified by the high degree of danger to the flight safety of civil aircraft due to the use of weapons and military equipment. The airspace closure is valid at all altitudes along the border between Ukraine and Belarus. The ban does not apply to state aircraft.
Putin spoke at night
In the hours before the attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a special military operation in the Donetsk basin.
In his televised speech on the morning of Cütörtök, the Russian president said that Russia's plans do not include the occupation of Ukraine, but at the same time it will strive to demilitarize and "de-Naziize" it.
According to Putin, the purpose of the military operation is to protect the local population, which, as he put it, has suffered abuse and "genocide" from the "Kiev regime" over the past eight years.
Martial law in Ukraine
Martial law was imposed in Ukraine,
after Russia invaded the country
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a video message on Thursday.
The announcement was made by the president after he convened a meeting of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).
"In the morning, Putin announced a special military operation in the Donets basin. Russia has attacked our military infrastructure and our border guards. Explosions were heard in many cities of Ukraine. We are introducing martial law in the entire territory of Ukraine," said the head of state.
He added that he spoke with US President Joe Biden "a minute ago" and they have already started preparing international support for Ukraine.
He asked people to keep calm and stay at home if possible. He said that he, the government, the National Security and Defense Council (NRBO) and the armed forces were all doing their job and promised to keep the public informed.
Zelensky turned to the Russians
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the citizens of the Russian Federation in a video message on Thursday, asking them if they want war,
because, as he said, the people of Ukraine want peace.
"Ukraine in your news and Ukraine in reality are two completely different countries. They say we hate Russian culture. How can you hate culture, any culture? Neighbors always enrich each other culturally. However, this does not make them one. We are different, but that is not a reason to be enemies," Zelensky insisted. He emphasized that Ukrainians want to determine their own history "peacefully, calmly and honestly".
"Listen to us! The people of Ukraine want peace. The Ukrainian government is also doing everything it can for that reason," the president stated. He stated that it was up to the citizens of Russia whether they wanted war or not.
Later, Zelenskiy posted another video message in which he switched to Russian and announced that he had initiated a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, to which he did not receive a response.
Education was suspended in the Russian border region
Education was suspended on Thursday in Russia's Belgorod Oblast and Crimea bordering Ukraine due to the military attack ordered by Vladimir Putin.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, following the violent political upheaval in Kiev, citing the results of a referendum held on the peninsula. The legitimacy of this was not recognized by the vast majority of the international community and the annexation is considered a violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.
The Moscow Stock Exchange suspended trading in all markets on Thursday morning.
Russia has closed its airspace to civilian aircraft along its western border with Ukraine and Belarus until March 2, Russian aviation authorities said on Tuesday. The decision was justified by the high degree of danger to the flight safety of civil aircraft due to the use of weapons and military equipment. The airspace closure is valid at all altitudes along the border between Ukraine and Belarus. The ban does not apply to state aircraft.
Ukrainian border guard: the attack started from Belarus, Russia and Crimea
The Russian attack on Ukraine started from Belarus, Russia and the Crimean peninsula, arbitrarily annexed by Moscow, the Ukrainian border guard said on Thursday.
Border checkpoints are attacked with artillery, heavy weapons, and small arms in five regions, Luhansk, Sumy, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Zhytomyr Oblasts, as well as from the Crimean Peninsula.
Szijjártó: War is the worst scenario
War is the worst case scenario. The task now, as always, is to guarantee the safety of the Hungarian people, Péter Szijjártó wrote on his Facebook page early Thursday.
He added: "Our embassy in Kyiv is functioning and is available for Hungarians staying in Ukraine. My colleagues will provide all assistance on site".
Featured image: MTI / Source: Mandiner
