By Farah Najjar
23 Feb 2022
Russian President President Vladimir Putin announces military operation in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region.
UN Security Council members hold emergency meeting amid mounting tensions.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges Putin to ‘stop troops from attacking Ukraine’.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Putin had not replied to his invitation to hold talks.
Kremlin says Ukraine separatists have asked Moscow for “help” against Kyiv.
Ukraine imposes a nationwide state of emergency amid fears of Russian invasion.
Here are the latest updates:
NATO chief condemns Russia ‘attack’
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has condemned Russia’s “reckless and unprovoked attack” on Ukraine.
He said NATO allies will meet to address Russia’s latest move, adding: “We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time.”
“NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend allies,” he added.
INTERACTIVE- NATO history and expansion
8 mins ago (03:58 GMT)
Ukraine urges UN ‘to do everything possible to stop the war’
Ukraine’s UN envoy has urged the security council to “stop the war” shortly after Putin announced a special military operation in eastern Ukraine.
“I would like to ask the ambassador of the Russian delegation to say on the record that this very moment your troops do not shell and bomb Ukrainian cities, that your troops do not move in the territory of Ukraine,” he said.
In response, Russia’s UN ambassador said: “This isn’t called a war this is called as a military operation in the Donbas.”
31 mins ago (03:35 GMT)
Biden denounces ‘unprovoked and unjustified’ attack
US President Joe Biden has denounced “unprovoked and unjustified” attack on Ukraine, pledging the world will “hold Russia accountable”.
Biden said Russia alone is responsible for the “catastrophic loss of life and human suffering” to come, adding that he will address the nation on Thursday on ‘consequences’ for Russia.
36 mins ago (03:30 GMT)
Gunfire heard near Kyiv’s main airport – Interfax
Gunfire was heard near the main airport of Boryspil in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv soon after Russia announced a military operation in Ukraine, the Interfax news agency has said, citing local media.
1 hour ago (03:03 GMT)
Putin says Russia will conduct a military operation in eastern Ukraine
Putin has said Russia will conduct a military operation in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region and called on the Ukraine military to lay down its arms.
“I have made the decision of a military operation,” he said in a surprise statement on television shortly before 6 am (03:00 GMT).
Putin said the action comes in response to threats coming from Ukraine. He added that Russia doesn’t have a goal to occupy Ukraine. Putin said the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian “regime”.
Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to “consequences they have never seen.”
1 hour ago (03:00 GMT)
US tells UN a ‘full-scale’ invasion of Ukraine is imminent
The United States believes a “full-scale” further invasion of Ukraine by Russia is imminent, Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations has warned, saying this is a “perilous” moment.
“Tonight we’re seeing the Russians close airspace, move troops into Donbas, and move forces into combat-ready positions,” US envoy to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
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1 hour ago (02:52 GMT)
UN chief tells Putin: ‘Stop your troops from attacking Ukraine’
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made a personal appeal to Putin to stop his troops from entering Ukraine at an emergency Security Council meeting.
“President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance, too many people have already died.”
2 hours ago (02:36 GMT)
Russia ally Cuba slams US over Ukraine crisis, urges diplomacy
Cuba, a close ally of Russia, has sharply criticised the United States for imposing “the progressive expansion of NATO towards the borders of the Russian Federation” and called for a diplomatic solution to preserve international peace.
“The US government has been threatening Russia for weeks and manipulating the international community about the dangers of an ‘imminent massive invasion’ of Ukraine,” a Cuban statement said. “It has supplied weapons and military technology, deployed troops to several countries in the region, applied unilateral and unjust sanctions, and threatened other reprisals.”
The statement said “constructive and respectful dialogue” was necessary to resolve the Ukraine crisis.
– Aljazeera
