Russia invades Ukraine: in the night between Wednesday and Thursday the war has begun. President Vladimir Putin, who only two days ago he recognized the legitimacy of the self-proclaimed “Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics”, announced today on television the go-ahead for military operations in Donbass and asked Ukrainian soldiers to lay down their arms. The number one of the Kremlin then threatened foreign countries, ordering them not to interfere: otherwise, in fact, Moscow assures that there will be consequences never seen before.
Russia Invading Ukraine: How the War Started
Meanwhile, explosions have been reported in the capital Kiev and other cities in Ukraine. The attack was launched after a request for help sent by Donbass separatists to Russia. According to the United States, it was only a pretext. Before the invasion, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had asked to speak to Putin, but he was not satisfied.
Kiev: “Let's not run away. We fight and we will win”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has launched an appeal to “Ukrainians in the world”, assuring in a tweet that in the face of Putin's attack, “no one is running away. Army, diplomats, everyone is working. Ukraine fights, will defend and win. Spread the truth about Putin's invasion in your countries and ask governments to act immediately”.
The dynamics of war
According to local media, the armed forces of Ukraine have announced that anti-aircraft fire has shot down a Russian Sukhoi fighter in the east of the country.
Through Cnnsources in Kiev let it be known that the Russian army is also attacking Ukraine from the Crimea, as well as from the Russian and Belarusian borders.
Also according to American television there are "hundreds of victims". It is not yet clear, however, whether the reference is to deceased, injured or displaced persons.
Russia invades Ukraine: reactions from the world
The reaction of the international community, from US President Joe Biden to the European Union, can be summed up in two good sentences: “The Russian attack is unacceptable and unjustifiable. The response will be strong."
Prime Minister Mario Draghi said that “the Italian government condemns Russia's attack on Ukraine. Italy is close to the Ukrainian people and institutions in this dramatic moment. We are working with our European and NATO allies to respond immediately, with unity and determination".
On the same line, the Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio:
The collapse of the ruble after the Russian invasion
On the foreign exchange markets, Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered the collapse of the ruble, which lost more than 6,5%, to 84,0750 against the dollar and 95,2425 against the euro.
