Ukrainian officials: Cruise missiles hit Kiev Gunfire was heard in many places #Ukrainian National Guard Command destroyed # #乌克兰总统: The whole territory will enter a wartime state # #普京对乌东开展军事行动 Russian troops landed # #Putin called on the Ukrainian military to lay down its arms # Kiev-based journalist James Waterhouse said that the statement of a Ukrainian government official could see the scale of Russia's military operations.
Russia carried out a cruise missile attack on Kiev this morning and a troop movement in Odessa, in the south of the country, the official said.
The official said Russian troops crossed the Kharkiv state border 25 miles from the Russian-Ukrainian border. Waterhouse said information provided by witnesses and government officials suggested that Russia had launched a fairly large-scale operation.
Local media have also reported in multiple reports quoting the Ukrainian Interior Ministry as saying that some missiles have hit Ukraine's military missile command center and Kiev's military headquarters.
Russia's Defense Ministry has denied attacks on Ukrainian cities, saying it is attacking military infrastructure, air defenses and air force units with "high-precision weapons."
Gunshots were heard in many parts of Ukraine
Sarah Rainsford, an Eastern European journalist who was in Donetsk, said on Twitter that she heard loud explosions.
Paul Adams, a BBC correspondent in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, said five to six explosions had been heard. Local media said gunfire had been heard near Kiev's main airport on Thursday.
CNN reporters also reported that an explosion had just occurred over Kiev, and a loud explosion could be heard in the distance in the live report.
What Putin said
In a televised address Thursday morning, Putin urged Ukrainian soldiers in the conflict zone to lay down their arms and return to their homes.
Putin also said that "justice and facts" are on Russia's side. He warned that if anyone wants to compete with Russia, Moscow will respond in a timely manner.
Putin said a clash between Russian and Ukrainian militaries was inevitable and only a matter of time. Russia's actions are self-defense.
But Putin said Russia had no plans to occupy Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have the power to choose "who will govern".
Reuters quoted Ukraine's permanent representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, as saying that Russia's representative to the United Nations confirmed that the president had declared war.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted: "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. ”
He stressed that Ukraine "will defend itself" and that "the world can and must stop Putin."
