Ukraine provides casualty information on both sides, Russia has not commented yet
(Baonghean.vn) - CNN quoted information from the Ukrainian President's Office saying that more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia launched a military campaign against Ukraine.
Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor at the Office of the President of Ukraine, specifically informed: "According to the information I received, in addition to the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed, there are now civilians killed and this number is up to 10 people."
The Ukrainian military said on the same day that 50 Russian soldiers were killed near a town in the Lugansk region during the military operation in Ukraine. Four tanks were destroyed on a road near the city of Kharkov in eastern Ukraine.
In addition, Ukrainian forces shot down a sixth Russian plane.
“Another Russian plane destroyed in Kramatorsk. This is the sixth,” the Ukrainian military said on Twitter. However, Russia has not commented on this information.
Ukraine warned of Russia's special military operation
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| Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Photo: Ria Novosti |
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that the Ukrainian military leadership had been warned about a special Russian military operation.
Mr. Lukashenko said that after meeting with Russian President Putin, he asked the Ukrainian military leadership to call the Russian leader to prevent a war from breaking out.
"Has he called Moscow? No. Even knowing that a conflict could happen, he still didn't call Moscow," President Lukashenko said.
The Belarusian president recalled an example from history that helped prevent a conflict, when Soviet leader Khrushchev called then US President Kennedy, and thermonuclear war was averted.
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| Ukrainian army in the Donbass region. Photo: Ria Novosti |
Ukrainian military forces refuse to obey orders
The militia of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) said that Ukrainian troops along the front line refused to obey command orders and gradually left their combat positions.
In addition, the LPR militia claimed to have shot down two government army Su-24 attack aircraft, while two Bayraktar TB2 UAVs were also shot down over the city of Shchastia in Lugansk.
Meanwhile, in Donetsk, reports say that the Ukrainian armed forces are suffering heavy losses and are having to abandon their positions.
Not long before, in an urgent message to Russian citizens, President Putin called on the Ukrainian army to surrender: “I must call on the Ukrainian army, you have sworn an oath to the people, not to your ranks. I call on you to immediately lay down your arms and go home.”
To date, the entire Ukrainian navy has been neutralized, Russian troops have landed in Mariupol and Odessa. Ukrainian border guards have surrendered without resistance. The Russian Defense Ministry said: high-precision weapons were used to neutralize military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airports and air forces of the Ukrainian army. And Ukrainian civilians are not in any danger.
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| Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. Photo: AP |
Ukraine declares nationwide state of war
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky declared a state of war across the country, and imposed martial law.
"The army is doing its job. I will always be with you. Be strong. We will win because we are Ukraine. Be proud of Ukraine" - President Zelensky called in his national address today.
Ukraine's president said Russia launched missile attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure and border guards.
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| Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: TASS |
President Putin declares opening of campaign in eastern Ukraine
In a televised speech this morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a special military operation in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, and called on Ukrainian troops in the region to lay down their weapons.
President Putin accused Ukraine of staging a “genocide” in the east of the country, as well as NATO’s aggressive policy towards Russia. “For this, we will strive to achieve the demilitarization and defascization of Ukraine, and hold accountable those who committed numerous crimes responsible for the bloodshed of civilians, including Russian citizens,” Putin stressed.
According to the Russian leader, the country's armed forces have no plans to occupy Ukraine, but only to "demilitarize it", but Russia will defend itself if that is the only option.
“It is important to remember that this is not a war for territory. This is a war aimed at neutralizing Ukraine and establishing on its territory a regime that is not hostile to Russia and does not pose a threat to Russia and its people,” President Putin said.
“The NATO war machine supporting the ‘new Nazis’ in Ukraine is moving and approaching Russia’s borders,” President Putin said, adding that NATO’s actions are immoral and Russia cannot develop, feel safe or survive with constant threats from Ukraine.
The Donbass region, which includes the two provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk, has been a hotbed of fighting since 2014, killing more than 14,000 people, after residents unsuccessfully demanded greater autonomy and organized an armed resistance movement. President Putin signed a decree on February 21 recognizing the independence of these two regions.