KYIV — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday announced a special “special military operation” in Ukraine, unleashing a bombardment that threatens to push Europe into its biggest conflict since World War II.
After his declaration of war just before 6 a.m. Moscow-time, the Ukrainian government reported missile strikes at military facilities in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, as well as artillery fire on the border. The authorities in Kyiv reported a pincer movement attack on its troops from Belarus to the north, potentially attempting an encirclement of Kyiv, and from Crimea to the south. Russia insisted it was destroying military bases and airfields, not civilian targets.
POLITICO’s Sergei Kuznetsov said: “Several huge explosions were heard in Kyiv, in the district where I’m living, a few minutes ago.” He said the blasts appeared to be coming from Boryspil airport, the country’s largest.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that the Russians had launched a full-scale invasion. “This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now,” he tweeted.
U.S. President Joe Biden vowed a united response against the Russian attack by Washington and its allies, while U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said: “President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia. This conflict must stop now.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy imposed martial law and said that he had contacted Biden to co-ordinate an international response. “Today we need calm from each of you. Stay at home if possible. We are working, the army is working, the whole security apparatus of Ukraine is working.”
Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said Ukrainian forces were directly engaged with the Russian army, and Kuleba called for “devastating” sanctions on Russia and for weapons’ deliveries to the Ukrainian military.
Vitaly Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv and former heavyweight boxing champion, told people to have an emergency suitcase ready in case they needed to get to shelter.
In his early morning address, Putin called on members of the Ukrainian army to lay down their arms and go home to their families. Repeating well worn lies to justify his invasion, Putin said he was seeking to prevent a genocide against Russian-speakers and vowed a “demilitarization and de-Nazification of Ukraine.”
Putin brazenly claimed his plans “don’t include occupation of Ukrainian territory, we are not going to impose anything on anyone by force.”
“To anyone who would consider interfering from outside: If you do, you will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All the relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me,” he said.
Putin added that Russia’s actions were about protecting Ukraine “from those who took Ukraine hostage.” Promising the Russian people a quick war, he said he hoped “that we can turn this tragic page as soon as possible and move forward together, not to allow anyone to interfere in our affairs.”
Putin was dressed in what appeared to be the same dark suit and burgundy tie that he wore in his rambling speech attacking Ukrainian statehood on Monday night, suggesting that the declaration of war could be part of a choreographed pre-recording. “The people’s republics of Donbass turned to Russia with a request for help … I decided to conduct a special military operation,” he said.
He then boasted of Russia’s military might, insisting: “As for the military sphere, modern Russia, even after the collapse of the USSR and the loss of a significant part of its nuclear potential, is today one of the most powerful nuclear powers. And moreover, it has certain advantages in a number of the latest types of weapons. In this regard, no one should have any doubt that a direct attack on Russia will lead to defeat and dire consequences for a potential aggressor.”
U.S. President Biden issued an immediate condemnation.
“ President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” he said in a statement. “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.”
This story has been updated.
