MOSCOW — Safety digital camera footage reveals a line of Russian navy automobiles crossing into Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea.
Russian troops launched a wide-ranging assault on Ukraine on Thursday. President Vladimir Putin forged apart worldwide condemnation and sanctions and warned different international locations that any try to intervene would result in “penalties you might have by no means seen.”
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows beneath.
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian troops launched a wide-ranging assault on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin forged apart worldwide condemnation and sanctions and warned different international locations that any try to intervene would result in “penalties you might have by no means seen.”
Huge explosions had been heard earlier than daybreak in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa as world leaders decried the beginning of an invasion that might trigger huge casualties, topple Ukraine’s democratically elected authorities and threaten the post-Chilly Warfare stability on the continent.
Ukrainians began fleeing some cities, and the Russian navy claimed to have incapacitated all of Ukraine’s air defenses and air bases inside hours.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial legislation, saying Russia has focused Ukraine’s navy infrastructure. Ukrainians who had lengthy braced for the prospect of an assault, whereas by no means realizing exactly when it will come, had been urged to remain dwelling and to not panic even because the nation’s border guard company reported an artillery barrage by Russian troops from neighboring Belarus.
President Joe Biden pledged new sanctions to punish Russia for the aggression that the worldwide neighborhood had anticipated for weeks however couldn’t forestall via diplomacy.
Putin justified all of it in a televised handle, asserting that the assault was wanted to guard civilians in japanese Ukraine — a false declare the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia’s calls for to forestall Ukraine from becoming a member of NATO and for safety ensures. He additionally claimed that Russia doesn’t intend to occupy Ukraine however will transfer to “demilitarize” it and convey those that dedicated crimes to justice.
Biden in a written assertion condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified assault,” and he promised that the U.S. and its allies would “maintain Russia accountable.” The president stated he deliberate to talk to Individuals on Thursday after a gathering of the Group of Seven leaders. Extra sanctions in opposition to Russia had been anticipated to be introduced Thursday.
Ukraine’s Overseas Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the assault as a “full-scale invasion” and stated Ukraine will “defend itself and can win. The world can and should cease Putin. The time to behave is now.”
Within the capital, Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko suggested residents to remain dwelling except they’re concerned in important work and urged them to arrange go-bags with requirements and paperwork if they should evacuate. An Related Press photographer in Mariupol reported listening to explosions and seeing dozens of individuals with suitcases heading for his or her automobiles to go away the town.
“We face a conflict and horror. What might be worse?” 64-year-old Liudmila Gireyeva stated in Kyiv. She deliberate to go to the western metropolis of Lviv after which to attempt to transfer to Poland to hitch her daughter. Putin “shall be damned by historical past, and Ukrainians are damning him.”
The Russian claims about knocking out Ukrainian air defenses and Ukrainian claims to have shot down a number of Russian plane couldn’t instantly be verified. The Ukrainian air protection system and air pressure date again to the Soviet period and are dwarfed by Russia’s huge air energy and its stock of precision weapons.
The Russian Protection Ministry stated it was not focusing on cities, however utilizing precision weapons and claimed that “there is no such thing as a menace to civilian inhabitants.”
Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s inside minister, stated on Fb that the Russian navy had launched missile strikes on Ukrainian navy command services, air bases and navy depots in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro.
After the preliminary explosions in Kyiv, individuals might be heard shouting within the streets. Then a way of normality returned, with automobiles circulating and other people strolling within the streets as a pre-dawn commute appeared to begin in relative calm.
The implications of the battle and ensuing sanctions on Russia might reverberate all through the world, upending geopolitical dynamics in Europe in addition to affecting vitality provides in Europe and jolting world monetary markets.
Asian inventory markets plunged and oil costs surged because the assault started. Earlier, Wall Avenue’s benchmark S&P 500 index fell 1.8% to an eight-month low after the Kremlin stated rebels in japanese Ukraine requested for navy help.
Anticipating worldwide condemnation and countermeasures, Putin issued a stark warning to different international locations to not meddle, saying, “whoever tries to impede us, not to mention create threats for our nation and its individuals, should know that the Russian response shall be quick and result in the implications you might have by no means seen in historical past.”
Putin urged Ukrainian servicemen to “instantly put down arms and go dwelling.”
In a stark reminder of Russia’s nuclear energy, Putin warned that “nobody ought to have any doubts {that a} direct assault on our nation will result in the destruction and horrible penalties for any potential aggressor.” He emphasised that Russia is “one of the vital potent nuclear powers and likewise has a sure edge in a spread of state-of-the-art weapons.”
Although the U.S. on Tuesday introduced the repositioning of forces across the Baltics, Biden has stated he won’t ship in troops to battle Russia.
Putin introduced the navy operation after the Kremlin stated rebels in japanese Ukraine requested Russia for navy help to assist fend off Ukrainian “aggression,” an announcement that the White Home stated was a “false flag” operation by Moscow to supply up a pretext for an invasion.
Putin’s announcement got here simply hours after the Ukrainian president rejected Moscow’s claims that his nation poses a menace to Russia and made a passionate, last-minute plea for peace.
“The individuals of Ukraine and the federal government of Ukraine need peace,” Zelenskyy stated in an emotional in a single day handle, talking in Russian in a direct attraction to Russian residents. “But when we come underneath assault, if we face an try to remove our nation, our freedom, our lives and lives of our kids, we’ll defend ourselves. While you assault us, you will notice our faces, not our backs.”
Zelenskyy stated he requested to rearrange a name with Putin late Wednesday, however the Kremlin didn’t reply.
In an obvious reference to Putin’s transfer to authorize the deployment of the Russian navy to “keep peace” in japanese Ukraine, Zelensky warned that “this step might mark the beginning of an enormous conflict on the European continent.”
“Any provocation, any spark might set off a blaze that may destroy every little thing,” he stated.
He challenged the Russian propaganda claims, saying that “you might be advised that this blaze will carry freedom to the individuals of Ukraine, however the Ukrainian persons are free.”
At an emergency assembly of the U.N. Safety Council referred to as by Ukraine due to the approaching menace of a Russian invasion, members nonetheless unaware of Putin’s announcement appealed to him to cease an assault. U.N. Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres opened the assembly, simply earlier than the announcement, telling Putin: “Cease your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace an opportunity. Too many individuals have already died.”
NATO Secretary-Common Jen Stoltenberg issued an announcement condemning “Russia’s reckless and unprovoked assault on Ukraine, which places in danger numerous civilian lives. As soon as once more, regardless of our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to have interaction in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the trail of aggression in opposition to a sovereign and unbiased nation.”
European Council President Charles Michel and European Fee President Ursula von der Leyen promised to carry the Kremlin accountable.
“In these darkish hours, our ideas are with Ukraine and the harmless ladies, males and youngsters as they face this unprovoked assault and concern for his or her lives,” they stated on Twitter.
Even earlier than Putin’s announcement, dozens of countries imposed sanctions on Russia, additional squeezing Russian oligarchs and banks out of worldwide markets.
The Russian Overseas Ministry has shrugged off the sanctions, saying that “Russia has confirmed that, with all the prices of the sanctions, it is ready to reduce the harm.”
The specter of conflict has already shredded Ukraine’s financial system and raised the specter of huge casualties, vitality shortages throughout Europe and world financial chaos.
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Karmanau and Heintz reported from Kyiv. Angela Charlton in Paris; Frank Jordans in Berlin; Lorne Prepare dinner in Brussels, Frank Bajak in Boston, Robert Burns, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Eric Tucker, Ellen Knickmeyer, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed.
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Observe AP’s protection of the Ukraine disaster at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
