Russia Invades Ukraine After Putin orders 'Special Military Operation' - Ukrainian bases & cities attacked as Russian forces cross the border

How do you feel about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?

Written by Eric Revell, Countable News

What's the latest?

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in taped remarks Wednesday night that he is ordering a “special military operation” against Ukraine. The invasion comes after Russia undertook a monthslong buildup of more than 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s border ― the largest in Europe since the end of World War II.
  • The Russian military is conducting air, missile, and artillery strikes against targets throughout Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have told multiple media outlets that there are hundreds of casualties across Ukraine.
  • Explosions from missile strikes have been reported in Kyiv, the capital city, which has 4 million residents, where air raid sirens have also been sounding. Missile strikes and artillery fire have been reported in Kharkiv, a city of nearly 1 million people in northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border. Explosions have also been reported in Odesa, Mariupol, and parts of the Donbas. 
  • Russian forces are reportedly invading Ukraine from several lines of attack. There are reports of Russian troops crossing the border from occupied Crimea in the south and clashes at the Belarus border in the north where Russian forces have been conducting “exercises” with the Belarussian military for months amid the buildup. Further Russian advances have been reported near Kharkiv in the northeast and in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. There have also been reports about a potential amphibious landing in Odesa on the south coast, although Ukrainian defense officials denied that report.

Biden Condemns Russia's Attack, Will Address Nation Thursday

  • President Joe Biden released a statement Wednesday night condemning Putin’s attack on Ukraine and announcing that he will address the nation Thursday to announce further sanctions against Russia:
“The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.
I will be monitoring the situation from the White House this evening and will continue to get regular updates from my national security team. Tomorrow, I will meet with my G7 counterparts in the morning and then speak to the American people to announce the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security. We will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance. Tonight, Jill and I are praying for the brave and proud people of Ukraine.”
  • Biden spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this evening to brief him on steps the U.S. will be taking to “speak out clearly against President Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine.” According to a readout of the call, the president said the U.S. will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine.
  • Biden is expected to address the nation Thursday afternoon about new sanctions against Russia.

UN Security Council Meets as Russian Invasion Begins

  • Ukraine requested a special emergency meeting of the UN Security Council this evening, and reports emerged shortly after the meeting began that Russia had started conducting air, missile, and artillery strikes against Ukraine. The UN Security Council is currently chaired by Russia. 
  • After several hours of UN ambassadors discussing the crisis, Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya noted that Russia “declared a war on my country” and urged the Council to convene a meeting to formally condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. He told the Russian presiding chair to relinquish his duties as chair and added, “There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador.” 
  • The Russian ambassador replied that his country is only being aggressive against the “junta in Kyiv” and adjourned the meeting.

Putin Announces Military Operation Against Ukraine

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in taped remarks Wednesday night that he is ordering a “special military operation” against Ukraine.
  • Putin said in his announcement that he intends to achieve the “demilitarization” of Ukraine, which would require a far broader operation than one limited to the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” he recognized in Donetsk and Luhansk earlier this week.
  • He claimed that Russia “can’t tolerate the threat that emanates from modern Ukraine” and claimed NATO expansion in Eastern Europe threatens Russia’s security. In an apparent reference to the U.S. and NATO, Putin warned “those who would be tempted to intervene” that “Russia will respond immediately and you will have consequences that you never have had before in your history.”
  • The release of Putin’s announcement coincided with reports of Russian military forces entering Ukraine from occupied Crimea and explosions in the city of Kramatorsk, which is located in northern Donetsk but has been under the control of Ukraine’s government since 2014. Journalists in Kyiv reported explosions in Ukraine’s capital city, while there were also explosions seen in Mariupol and Odesa on Ukraine’s southern coast. Russia is launching air and missile strikes against Ukrainian military infrastructure throughout the country.
  • There were initial reports that metadata showed Putin recorded the declaration of war video on Monday at the same time he recognized the self-proclaimed independent states in the Donbas, although that may have been from a different video, leaving it unclear exactly when it was recorded.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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(Photo Credit: Russian T-90 Tank: Dmitry Terekhov via Flickr / Creative Commons)