Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, Thursday, the severance of diplomatic relations with Russia, hours after the Russian military operation in Ukraine. He stressed that his country has all the necessary resources and banks are operating as usual, calling for unity to defend the country and the freedom of the Ukrainian people.
This came during a speech by the Ukrainian president hours after the start of Russian military operations.
He also called on citizens who are able to bear arms to go to training centers, stressing that the Russian forces suffered heavy losses.
On the ground, more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers and about 10 civilians were killed in the early hours of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters Thursday.
Oleksiy Aristovich told reporters: “I know that more than 40 soldiers were killed and dozens wounded. There is information that about 10 civilians were killed.”
Immediately after the start of the military operation on Thursday morning, President Zelensky said that he had spoken to US President Joe Biden to follow up The situation after the start of the Russian military operation in UkraineWhile the sirens sounded in the capital, Kiev.
The Ukrainian president also declared a state of emergency during a speech to his people, and told his citizens: Stay in your homes as much as possible.
“We are strong, we are ready for everything, and we will win,” he added.
Zelensky explained that Russia carried out missile strikes on the infrastructure of Ukraine, and on the border guards there, and that the explosions were heard in many cities in Ukraine.
He added that martial law was imposed on all state lands, and that he spoke by phone to US President Joe Biden.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a separate statement that the goal of the Russian military operation is the destruction of the Ukrainian state.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that The decision was made to conduct a military operation in Donbass in Ukraine.
He added that the circumstances required decisive action from Russia, while Archyde.com quoted witnesses as saying that they heard explosions in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
A Russian news agency quoted Putin as saying that the confrontations between Russian and Ukrainian forces were only a matter of time.
News agencies also reported hearing the sound of gunfire near Boryspil airport in Kiev, as well as hearing huge explosions on the eastern front of Ukraine. Archyde.com reported that missile strikes were launched against the Ukrainian army’s command centers in Kiev and Kharkiv, while Interfax reported that Russian forces had landed in Mariupol and Odessa.