Russian invasion in Ukraine

Image: Humphrey Muleba / Unsplash

On Thursday, February 24, Russian forces attacked Ukraine in the early morning hours.

In a pre-dawn televised speech, Vladimir Putin declared that he ordered a "special military operation". Russian troops started a mass assault against Ukraine by land, sea, and air.

According to Reuters, Kyiv reported columns of troops pouring across the borders with Russia and Belarus stretching from the north and east and landing on the coasts from the Black Sea in the southwest and the Azov Sea in the southeast.

Explosions and gunfire were heard throughout the morning in the capital, Kyiv, and multiple missiles hit the country's different parts.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared war in Ukraine and called on civilians to defend their country. He said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight. He also urged Russians to take to the streets to protest against their government's actions.

Kyiv cut off its diplomatic relations with Russia.

Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office, reported that after a severe fight, Russian forces managed to take over the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

This is the biggest attack on a European state since World War Two.

BBC, CNN, Reuters and all other major news outlets cover the situation live.