Russia Destroys Ukraine Airbases, Air Defences; Several Ukrainian Service Members Killed: Reports

Russia claimed that it has destroyed Ukraine Airbases, Air Defences while, Ukraine military said that it has shot down as many as five enemy planes and a helicopter in eastern part of the country, Reuters reported. 

Moscow: Russia’s Defence Ministry on Thursday said it had neutralised Ukrainian military airbases and its air defence systems, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military offensive against his country’s neighbour, reports AFP. “Military infrastructure at Ukrainian army air bases has been rendered out of action,” the defence ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies, which added that Kyiv’s air defence systems were “eliminated”.

The Ukrainian official have also informed that hundreds of Ukrainian service members believed to have been killed in Russian attacks, WSJ reported.

"Hundreds" of Ukrainian service members believed to have been killed in Russian attacks, Ukrainian official says – WSJ

— BNO News (@BNONews) February 24, 2022

Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Ukraine military reported that it has shot down as many as five enemy planes and a helicopter in eastern part of the country.

Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv on February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine today with explosions heard soon after across the country and its foreign minister warning a “full-scale invasion” was underway. ARIS MESSINIS / AFP

Earlier, Russian defence ministry said that Russia is targeting Ukraine’s military infrastructure, air defence, and air forces with high-precision weapons and is not attacking Ukrainian cities. Kyiv has also said Moscow has launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, with military command centres in a number of cities hit by missiles.

WATCH: Missile hits airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EnskxXhpnq

— BNO News (@BNONews) February 24, 2022

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Russia was attacking his country’s “military infrastructure” and border guards, but urged citizens not to panic and vowed victory. “Military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, and aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being disabled with high-precision weapons,” the defence ministry said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

Putin declares war against Ukraine:

Unfazed by tough Western sanctions, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that he decided to launch a “special military operation” aimed at the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine and also bring to justice those who committed numerous crimes against peaceful people, including Russian nationals.

“People’s republics of Donbass approached Russia with a request for help. In connection therewith, I made the decision to hold a special military operation,” Putin said in a special television address.

He said the goal of the military operation is to “protect the people that are subjected to abuse, genocide from the Kyiv regime for eight years, and to this end we will seek to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine and put to justice those that committed numerous bloody crimes against peaceful people, including Russian nationals.”