Army arrives in capital Kyiv, Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons

Russia stepped up offensive operations on the outskirts of the capital on Friday after launching airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and military bases and sending troops and tanks from three sides. This action of Russia will probably rewrite the security history of the global post-Cold War. Explosions were heard in Kyiv before daybreak and later gunshots were heard near the government quarters.

In announcing a major military operation against Ukraine, Putin shrugged off international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with Russian action would have “results they have never seen.” ‘

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged global leaders to impose more stringent sanctions against Russia than those imposed in the past. “If you don’t help us now, if you fail to provide strong aid to Ukraine, tomorrow war will knock at your door,” he said.

On the other hand, leaders of Western countries have called an emergency meeting and Ukraine’s president has called for international help to stop such attacks as he fears that Russia could oust his democratically elected government. There could be massive casualties in Ukraine and damage to the global economy. The military said on Friday that a group of Russian spies and people engaged in subversive activities were seen in a district of Kyiv, about five kilometers north of the city center, amid signs that the Ukrainian capital was under threat.

Earlier, the army said that Russian security forces had captured two Ukrainian military vehicles and were heading towards the city to infiltrate under the pretense of being local.

At the same time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Kyiv was “probably under siege.” US officials believe that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to impose a government of his choice in Ukraine. Guests of a hotel in the city center were told to head to a temporary safe basement, which had piled up mattresses and water bottles, as the sirens sounded in Kyiv early Friday. The workers, all the students of the local university distributed tea and snacks to the guests. Some went into the courtyard to smoke or get some fresh air. Lucy Washaka (20), one of the activists, said, “We are all scared and worried. We don’t know what to do, what is going to happen in a few days?’

On Thursday, the offensive began with a series of missile attacks on cities and military bases, and then the infantry marched towards Ukraine. In the east, soldiers started entering from many areas. Troops also came from the southern region of Crimea, which Russia occupied in 2014. Russian troops also stormed from neighboring Belarus. A house collapsed after an aircraft fell in Kyiv. (Photo: Reuters)

Ukrainian officials have said they have lost contact with the closed Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The world’s worst nuclear tragedy took place at this place. In many parts of the country, people were seen hurriedly boarding trains and cars to go to safer places. Ukrainian President Zelensky said that 137 civilians, including 10 military personnel, have been killed so far in Russia’s attack.

Ukraine's Defence Ministry says more than 1,000 Russian soldiers were killed so far in Ukraine conflict: Reuters

— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022

It is being told that about 1000 Russian soldiers have been killed. However, Moscow did not give the number of casualties. None of the claims could be independently verified.

President Zelensky concluded his emotional address by saying that ‘the future of the country completely depends on our army, our security forces, all our defenders.’ He also said the country had heard from Moscow that “they want to talk about Ukraine’s neutral position.” Zelensky referred to Russia’s demand that Ukraine give up its intention to join the NATO alliance.

Thousands of people went inside underground bunkers and subway stations as night fell, fearing a Russian attack on Kyiv. Anton Mironov, who took refuge inside a metro station, said, ‘No one believed that this war would start and they would also target Kyiv.’ Some people came out in the morning after spending the night in makeshift bunkers. Cars of common people were also coming along with the army troops on the highway. Long queues were seen at fuel stations on Thursday.

Although Russia has said it is not targeting cities, journalists have seen devastation in several residential areas. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said at least three people were injured on Friday after a rocket attack engulfed a multi-storey apartment in the city.

Ukraine’s military is fighting a fierce battle with enemy forces 60 kilometers northwest of Kiev amid reports of Russian forces moving north to Kyiv. Russian troops have also entered the city of Sumi, located near the border. From here a highway leads to the capital Kyiv. Ukraine’s Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashenko said on Telegram, ‘Today will be a very heavy day. The enemy plans to enter Kyiv through Ivankiev and Chernihiv through tanks.

President Zelensky’s adviser Myhailo Podolik said that hours after the attack began, Russian forces took control of the Chernobyl nuclear plant and its surrounding area. The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it was informed of the occupation by Ukraine. Also that ‘there has been no casualty or destruction at the industrial site’.

US President Joe Biden has announced new sanctions that will target Russian banks, wealthy people, state-controlled companies and high-tech sectors. He said Putin has ‘chosen this war’. Biden also said that measures have been taken so that the global energy market is not affected. Russian oil and natural gas exports are important energy sources for Europe.

Biden is also scheduled to meet on Friday with allied leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which the White House described as an “extraordinary summit” held digitally to discuss Ukraine. Biden said that if Putin enters NATO countries, the US will intervene. Biden said that if his Russian counterpart is not stopped now, he will be encouraged.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the sanctions, saying they are aimed at weaning Russia from Britain’s financial markets. A plan has been presented to freeze the assets of all major Russian banks and prevent Russian companies and the Kremlin from raising funds from British markets. Some in Europe have expressed fears about a new world war, while the US and its NATO allies have given no indication that they will send troops to Ukraine.

NATO has started strengthening its members in Eastern Europe as a precaution. Biden said that the US is deploying additional forces in Germany under NATO. The people of Ukraine have been asked not to panic and take shelter in safe places.

Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons
It has been a long time since a world leader has openly threatened to use nuclear weapons, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has finally done so.

He warned in his recent address that if anyone dares to stop Russia from occupying Ukraine, they (Moscow) have nuclear weapons to respond. His threat has caught everyone’s attention. Questions are coming to the minds of people whether Putin’s ambition to annex Ukraine can lead to nuclear war due to some accident or miscalculation.

President Vladimir Putin threatened “consequences you have never faced in your history” for “anyone who tries to interfere with us.” His speech, intended to justify the invasion of Ukraine, seemed to come close to threatening nuclear war. https://t.co/98DJWNFYOo pic.twitter.com/AEUXpmJ2Uy

— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 24, 2022

In his address on Thursday before the attack on Ukraine, Putin said, “Russia is today one of the most powerful nuclear states in the world, even after losing a large part of its capabilities militarily after the disintegration of the erstwhile Soviet Union.”

He said, “Russia is also in a very strong position in terms of many state-of-the-art weapons. In view of this, no one should have any doubt that any potential attacker will face defeat and the consequences of attacking our country will be dire. By hinting at a nuclear response, Putin has reinforced fears that the ongoing fighting in Ukraine could turn into a nuclear war between Russia and the United States. This scene of catastrophe is known to those who grew up in the Cold War era, when American students were asked to hide under their desks at school when nuclear sirens sounded.

However, this threat was gradually dissipated after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the then Soviet Union, when both powers embarked on the path of disarmament, democracy and prosperity. Not only this, no country has used nuclear weapons since 1945. That year, then-President Harry Truman ordered the dropping of an atomic bomb on Japan with the belief that it would be the most efficient way to quickly end World War II. The move also ended World War II, but in Hiroshima and Nagasaki about 200,000 people died, mostly civilians. Even today, many people around the world consider it a crime against humanity and question whether a nuclear attack was necessary.

Russian troops take control of a strategically important airport near Kyiv
Russia’s military has claimed it has seized a strategically important airport outside the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. With this, Russian troops have started entering Kyiv. This claim could not be independently verified. Hostomel’s airport has a long runway that can handle heavy cargo flights. With its possession, Russia can directly land its troops in the outskirts of Kyiv.

Hostomel is located just seven kilometers north-west of Kyiv

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Friday that Russian troops used 200 helicopters to land at Hostomel and killed 200 Ukrainian soldiers. Konashenkov claimed no casualties to Russian troops, although Ukraine claims a large number of Russian soldiers were killed during the fighting. Demonstrations in Russia against the war, more than a thousand protesters were detained. Russia also faced the ire of its own citizens amid the attack on Ukraine, who gathered in thousands on Thursday after their country’s war action and demonstrated ‘Say No to War’ .

We are in downtown Moscow where hundreds are protesting against the Ukraine invasion. Arrests. A large police presence. It takes a special kind of bravery to protest in Putin’s Russia – especially on the day he sends his country to war. pic.twitter.com/zDJEEKU03m

— James Longman (@JamesAALongman) February 24, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin has launched a military campaign warning other countries that any attempt to interfere with Russian action will have consequences they have never seen before.

According to Al Jazeera’s report, a woman who came to the rally in St. Petersburg said about this, ‘I have no words. this is sick. What is there left to say now? We are feeling helpless, there is pain too. She was among thousands of Russian citizens who took to the streets to express their outrage for demonstrations in several cities, with thousands reportedly being detained.

This video shows how quickly a peaceful Russian protester holding up a sign just saying "нет войне" (no war!) is taken down.

This people are risking a lot, their govt. is using force to stop protests. The world is watching their courage!#нетвойне ☮️https://t.co/7EzIan4c95

— Dalai Fellama 📯🥦 (@DalaiDasLama) February 24, 2022

Earlier on Thursday, dozens of journalists, reporters and media figures, mainly independent institutions, as well as the BBC signed a petition condemning Russia’s campaign in Ukraine.

At the same time, more than a hundred municipal deputies from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Ryazan and other cities have written an open letter to the citizens of Russia, urging them not to be a part of this campaign and not to remain silent.

He wrote, ‘We, the representatives elected by the people, condemn the attack by the Russian army on Ukraine. This is an unprecedented atrocity which cannot be justified.

https://twitter.com/KevinRothrock/status/1496850934298726405?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1496850934298726405%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fthewirehindi.com%2F206617%2Frussia-ukraine-conflict-russian-army-kyiv-putin-volodymyr-zelenskiy%2F

In a video released by Russia’s TV channel Dozhd, opposition leader Alexei Navalny is also seen opposing this action. He seems to be saying, ‘I am against this war. Putin is doing all this to divert attention from internal problems.

Earlier on Thursday, Russian officials warned anti-war people not to gather for demonstrations, according to the international news agency AFP.The Investigative Committee, a government body that investigates major crimes, warned citizens of legal consequences for participating in unauthorized protests related to the “tense foreign political situation”.

Putin is aggressor, he chose war in Ukraine: Biden

US President Joe Biden on Thursday accused his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of being an “aggressor”, saying the Russian president chose war against Ukraine. Biden announces new economic sanctions against Russia. Biden said, ‘Putin is an invader. Putin chose war. He announced tough economic sanctions against Russia, but flatly refused to send American forces to Ukraine to wage war against Russian forces. He said that the world is united against Russia.

Biden said that if Russia attacks America, America is ready to respond. He also announced the sending of more forces to assist NATO forces. Biden said the sanctions were aimed at Russian banks, oligarchs and high-tech sectors. He said the US and its allies would block assets of the four big Russian banks, impose export controls and impose sanctions on oligarchs.

Earlier, Biden held a digital meeting with leaders of the G-7 countries on Thursday to discuss a united response to Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” attack on Ukraine. “I had a meeting with my G7 counterparts this morning to discuss President Putin’s unfair attack on Ukraine,” he said. We agreed to impose devastating sanctions and other economic measures to hold Russia accountable. We stand with the brave people of Ukraine.

The G-7 is a grouping of seven advanced economies of the world. This includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU). US to discuss Ukraine crisis with India: Biden
Joe Biden said that the US will discuss the Ukraine crisis with India after Russia’s military operation. Biden, during a press conference at the White House on the Ukraine crisis, was asked whether India fully stood by the US on the Russian attack. In response, he said, ‘We will discuss (on Ukraine crisis) with India.’ India has an old and time-tested friendship with Russia. Its strategic partnership with the US has grown at an unprecedented pace in the past decade and a half.

Narendra Modi spoke to Putin, appealed to stop the violence immediately
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin before his meeting at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, Friday, Oct 5, 2018.(PTI Photo/Kamal Singh)(PTI10_5_2018_000053B)
Narendra Modi with Vladimir Putin. (File photo: PTI) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the wake of the situation arising out of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and urged all parties to make concerted efforts to return to the path of diplomatic dialogue and dialogue. did.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Modi reiterated his “longstanding conviction” during the talks that differences between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) grouping should only be resolved through “honest and serious dialogue”. can be solved by itself. According to the PMO, during this, Putin apprised Prime Minister Modi of the recent developments related to Ukraine.

“The Prime Minister appealed for an immediate end to the violence and called on all parties to make concerted efforts to return to the path of diplomatic dialogue and dialogue,” it said. In a telephonic conversation, Prime Minister Modi also apprised Putin of India’s concerns regarding the safety of Indian citizens stranded in Ukraine, especially students. Along with this, he said that his safe return is India’s top priority. A statement issued by the Russian side about the Modi-Putin talks said Modi sought assistance in ensuring the safety of Indian citizens currently in Ukraine, to which President Putin said “necessary instructions” would be given. The PMO said the leaders agreed that their officials and diplomatic teams would maintain regular contact on issues of topical interest.

A Russian statement on the Modi-Putin talks said that during the talks, Putin gave a basic assessment of “Kyiv’s aggressive actions” against the civilian population of the Donbass, as well as Ukraine’s “disastrous policy” aimed at breaking the Minsk agreements. underlined.