Lagatar24 Desk
Moscow, Feb 24: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered a military action in Ukraine, followed by explosions heard across the country, sparking fury from Joe Biden, who warned of “catastrophic loss of life.”
Weeks of intense diplomacy and the introduction of Western sanctions on Russia failed to deter Putin, who had gathered between 150,000 and 200,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders.
“I have made the decision of a military operation,” Putin said in a surprise television announcement shortly before 6:00am in Moscow.
He also urged Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their weapons and justified the invasion by claiming “genocide” in the east of the country.
The Kremlin had previously stated that rebel commanders in eastern Ukraine have requested military assistance from Moscow in their fight against Kyiv.
Within 30 minutes of Putin’s statement, an AFP reporter in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, heard explosions. According to AFP correspondents, explosions were also reported in the eastern city of Mariupol and the Black Sea port of Odessa.
President Biden of the United States quickly threatened Russia with “consequences” and stated that the world would “hold Russia accountable” for its conduct.
