The Russian army attacks Ukraine. The Ukrainian military responds. There are said to be victims already, soldiers are missing. News ticker.
- Putin launches “military operation”: Ukraine declares a state of war (see update of February 24, 6:14 a.m.). Soldiers are said to have been killed (see update of February 24, 8:50 a.m.).
- The Russian army, in turn, reports that it has destroyed Ukrainian air bases (see update of February 24, 7:47 a.m.). The air defense had been rendered completely harmless (see update of February 24, 8:19 a.m.).
- There are said to be attacks in the border area from several sides on Ukraine (see update of February 24, 6:46 a.m.). There is also talk of Russian ground troops and tanks (see update of February 24, 8:28 a.m. and 8:58 a.m.).
- This News ticker about events in Ukraine is continuously updated.
Russia bombs Ukraine: Separatist chief says there won’t be long battles
February 24 update at 9:25 a.m: After Russian troops invaded eastern Ukraine, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic announced that there would be no long fighting. Denis Pushilin said Thursday morning on Russian state television: “The liberation movement will end fairly quickly.” The military operation is in full swing. “I can say that this will end very soon.” The region’s towns and villages would “be liberated in the near future,” he claimed.
According to the Ukrainian border guard, Russian tank columns in the Luhansk region crossed the border from Russian territory near Krasna Talivka, Milove and Horodyshche. The defensive battles continue.
Ukrainian border guards: Russian tanks move into eastern Ukraine – 7 dead
Update from February 24, 8:58 a.m.: According to the Ukrainian border guard, Russian tanks have moved into eastern Ukraine. Several columns crossed the border from Russian territory in the Luhansk region near Krasna Talivka, Milowe and Horodyshche, the authority said on Thursday. Ground troops have already been reported (see update of February 24, 8:28 a.m.).
Update from February 24, 8:50 a.m.: According to Ukrainian sources, at least 7 soldiers were killed and 15 others injured as a result of Russian airstrikes. In addition, 19 soldiers were missing, said the Interior Ministry in Kiev on Thursday morning. A bridge over the Inhulez River in southern Ukraine was destroyed.
Russian ground forces apparently in Ukraine
Update from February 24, 8:28 a.m.: According to Ukrainian border guards, Russian ground troops are advancing into Ukraine.
Update from February 24, 8:19 a.m.: According to their own statements, the Russian armed forces rendered the country’s air defenses completely harmless during the invasion of Ukraine. The Defense Ministry announced on Thursday in Moscow that the bases of the Ukrainian air force had been put out of action with “precision-guided ammunition”. The Ukrainian soldiers did not offer any resistance to the Russian military, it was said. At the same time, the ministry rejected Ukrainian reports that Russian planes had been shot down (see update of February 24, 7:03 a.m.). That doesn’t correspond to the facts, it said. The ministry also said there were no airstrikes against Ukrainian cities. “Nothing threatens the civilian population.”
Ukraine invasion: Separatists report taking two small towns
Update from February 24, 7:58 a.m.: The separatists reported taking two small towns after the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine. These are Stanytsia Luhanska and Shchastya. Accordingly, Russian troops advanced across the river Siwerskyi Donets, which previously formed the front line. At the same time, the authorities in Kiev confirmed the advance of the pro-Russian forces into the area controlled by Ukrainian government troops.
Update from February 24, 7:47 a.m.: The Russian army says it has destroyed Ukraine’s air defenses and air bases. “The military infrastructure of the air bases of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been disabled,” Russian news agencies quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying on Thursday morning. “The air defenses of the Ukrainian armed forces were destroyed.” Kiev reported the shooting down of five Russian fighter jets and a helicopter (see update of February 24, 7:03 a.m.). uh
According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army, there was shelling by the Russian military in the east of the country. The general staff announced on Thursday morning in Kiev that there were attacks on areas and settlements along the state border and on several airfields. There were no landing operations by the Russian military in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Odessa. “The situation is under control,” it said.
Ukraine: Tweet from a journalist apparently showing an explosion in Kiev early Thursday morning
Ukraine invasion by Russia: planes shot down
Update from February 24, 7:03 a.m.: Ukraine is on high alert! TV pictures show that sirens wailed in cities. According to a local politician, the explosions heard in Kiev are due to the use of the Ukrainian air defenses. “They heard explosions. Take it easy, that’s our army responding to unknown aircraft,” said Volodymyr Borisenko, mayor of the city of Borispol near Kiev airport, in a televised address on Thursday, the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported. This is part of the provocation, the mayor continued. He warned the population of many fake news in social networks. It is also possible that the Internet will be switched off.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military announced on social media that they shot down five of the attackers’ planes and a helicopter. “The enemy is taking casualties,” they say.
Ukraine invasion: Attack on the borders with Russia and Belarus
Update from February 24, 6:46 a.m.: According to the Ukrainian border guard, Ukraine is being attacked both on the border with Russia and with Belarus. The border guards said on Thursday that Ukraine was being shelled with “artillery” by “Russian troops from Russia and Belarus”. Ukrainian forces would return fire.
Update from February 24, 6:34 a.m.: The AFP news agency reports communications from Ukrainian border guards. Accordingly, Ukraine will be attacked on the border with Russia and Belarus.
According to the Russian army, it carries out attacks on the Ukrainian military infrastructure with “high-precision weapons”. “The military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields and air force of the Ukrainian armed forces are being incapacitated with high-precision weapons,” the Russian news agency TASS quoted the Russian Defense Ministry early Thursday morning as saying.
Update from February 24, 6:14 a.m.: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has declared a state of war across the country. Loud daily News meanwhile, the Russian military has apparently focused on Ukrainian air bases and other military facilities. The medium quotes the AP news agency as reporting on a statement from the Russian military. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy confirmed attacks on military infrastructure. At the same time, he urged citizens not to panic. “We are prepared for everything, we will win,” he added.
After Putin’s decision to invade: explosions in Ukraine – artillery heard near frontline
First report from February 24th: KIEV – According to reports, many people in Ukraine were awakened by loud booms on Thursday morning (February 24). Shortly after the “military operation” in Ukraine announced by Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, explosions were heard in the capital Kiev and in other Ukrainian cities. AFP reporters reported on Thursday night at least two explosions in downtown Kiev that triggered alarms in vehicles.
Explosions were also heard in the port city of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, in the Black Sea city of Odessa, as well as in Kramatorsk and on the front line to the eastern Ukrainian separatist areas. According to residents of Mariupol, which is close to the front line and the border with Russia, artillery could be heard in the eastern suburbs of the city.
In New York, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN urged Russia to “end the war.” At the same time he called on the United Nations to “do everything possible to stop the war”.
Escalation in the Ukraine-Russia conflict: explosions heard in the country
Putin previously announced a “military operation” in Ukraine in a late-night televised address. “I made the decision to launch a military operation.” Putin called on Ukraine’s military to “lay down their arms” and threatened retaliation for any interference in the Russian operation.
The government in Kiev has now closed the airspace over Ukraine to civil air traffic. “Because of the high security risk,” the airspace was closed and air traffic stopped shortly after midnight, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced in Kiev early Thursday morning.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia had launched a “large-scale invasion.” “Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under attack. This is a war of aggression,” Kuleba wrote on Twitter Thursday morning. The world “can and must stop Putin. It is time to act now,” he urged. (AFP/cibo)
#Ukraine #war #live #Russia #bombs #cities #Dead #injured #reported