State of Emergency as Putin Declares War on Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a fresh wave of military operation against Ukraine on Thursday.

In his address, Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen.” Putin also said that plans of the special military operation in Ukraine do not include occupying Ukrainian territory. It only aims at demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine.

As Putin spoke, big explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other areas of Ukraine.

In the meeting of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC), the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya said that the special operation by President Putin is to protect the people of Ukraine who have been suffering for years.

On the other hand, Ukraine has imposed martial law after Russia declared war. Russian troops laying siege in various parts of Ukraine have been reported.

Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said that “this is an act of war, an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a brutal violation of the UN Charter and basic norms and principles of international law. Ukraine has activated its right to self-defence in accordance with international law.” He also said that the country will defend itself from Putin’s “war of aggression” and will win.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has called Russia’s attack on Ukraine as “unprovoked and unjustified”. Biden said, “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring. The US and its allies will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”

Putin’s move comes close on the heels of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement that Russia will invade Ukraine within hours. For days now, the Russia-Ukraine borders have seen large deployments of Russian military columns.