In the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, Russian forces shelled civilian infrastructure in Raihorodok, and the rest in Tetianivka and Mykolaivka.

“Russia kills civilians! On August 28th number of victims of Russian army in Donetsk oblast increased by 8 killed, 7 injured. Every Russian will pay for his crimes in Ukraine!” Kyrylenko tweeted.

 

 

On 24 February, before 5 am. Kyiv time, Putin announced a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine and “effectively declared war on Ukraine.”

In his speech, Putin said he had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory and that he supported the right of the Ukrainian people to self-determination.

He said the purpose of the “operation” was to “protect the people” in the predominantly Russian-speaking region of Donbas who he falsely claimed that “for eight years now, [had] been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime”.

Putin said that Russia sought “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine. Within minutes of Putin's announcement, explosions were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and the Donbas region.[166] An alleged leaked report from within the FSB claimed that the intelligence agency was not warned of Putin's plan to invade Ukraine.

Immediately following the attack, Zelenskyy declared martial law in Ukraine. The same evening, he ordered a general mobilization of all Ukrainian males between 18 and 60 years old who were prohibited from leaving the country.

Russian troops entered Ukraine from the north in Belarus (towards Kyiv); from the north-east in Russia (towards Kharkiv); from the east in the DPR and the Luhansk People's Republic; and from the south in Crimea. (ILKHA)