Hours After Declaring War, President Putin Says No Other Way To Defend Russia Than By Invading Ukraine

Earlier in the day, Russia said its military has destroyed more than 70 military targets, including 11 airfields in Ukraine.

Moscow: Hours after declaring war on Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said he had no other option to defend Russia than by invading Ukraine. He added that all of Moscow’s previous attempts to change the security situation in Ukraine had come to nothing. He also stated that Russia does not want to undermine the global economic system.

President Putin also warned the country’s business leaders that he expected “restrictions” on Russia’s economy, but said Russia had taken a “necessary measure” by launching a large-scale military offensive against Ukraine.

In the meantime, US President Joe Biden said Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction that its attack on Ukraine will bring.

Earlier in the day, Russia said its military has destroyed more than 70 military targets, including 11 airfields in Ukraine.

“As a result of strikes carried out by the Russian armed forces, 74 Ukrainian military ground facilities were destroyed,” Igor Konashenkov, a defence ministry spokesman, was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.

He said that Russia has destroyed facilities included 11 airfields, three command posts and 18 radar stations of the S-300 and Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems.

Giving further information, he said a Ukrainian military helicopter and four drones had also been shot down.

Konashenkov said separatist forces continued an offensive backed by air support of the Russian armed forces.

Saying that armed groups of nationalists are putting up resistance, he claimed that Ukrainian troops wanted to leave the area of hostilities.

He said that Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had ordered Russian troops to “treat Ukrainian servicemen with respect”.

On Thursday early morning, President Putin launched an offensive on Ukraine after a national address aired at around 5:40 AM local time.

Shortly after the announcement, the first bombardments were heard in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and several other cities, according to AFP reports.

At least 68 people were killed, including both soldiers and civilians, according to an AFP tally from various Ukrainian official sources.

In the deadliest single strike reported by the authorities, 18 people were killed at a military base near Ukraine’s Black Sea port city of Odessa.

In the wake of the developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law and said Russia was attacking his country’s “military infrastructure” but urged citizens not to panic and vowed victory.