February 24, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news

Our live coverage has moved.?Head here for the latest updates?on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley spoke with allies in Europe by phone on Thursday, after Russia began an invasion of Ukraine.

Milley spoke with officials from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada. He also had a “combined meeting with the Bucharest 9 allies,” — Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — according to a readout of the calls.?

Earlier Thursday, US President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced the deployment of an additional 7,000 troops to Germany from the US to support NATO allies amid the crisis.?

Milley will “continue to conduct outreach” to partners and allies in the coming?days, the readout said.?

At least three more explosions reverberated across the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, at dawn on Friday. They appeared to be coming from the southwest of the city.?

It’s now just past 6:30 a.m. in Kyiv. Earlier this morning, CNN teams on the ground reported hearing large blasts in the city.

In a tweet early Friday morning, Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba decried the “horrific Russian rocket strikes on Kyiv.”

CNN teams in Kyiv reported hearing blasts early Friday morning.

Ukraine’s Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin attributed an explosion Friday to a Ukrainian “anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky.” CNN has not been able to independently verify this.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry says its armed forces have inflicted some 800 casualties on Russian forces since the invasion began in the early hours of Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether the ministry was referring solely to the number killed.

The ministry said more than 30 Russian tanks had been destroyed, as well as seven Russian aircraft and six helicopters.

CNN is not able to independently verify Ukraine’s figures.

The European Union announced new sanctions on Russia early Friday that would target the country’s financial, energy and transport sectors, visa policy, and include export controls and export financing bans.

The sanctions will have “maximum impact on the Russian economy and political elite,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron. “We will hold the Kremlin accountable,” she said.

She said the financial sanctions cut Russia’s most important capital markets, and that they are now targeting 70% of the Russian banking market and key state-owned companies. The sanctions will increase Russia’s borrowing costs, raise inflation and “gradually erode Russia’s industrial base,” she said.

An export ban will also hit Russia’s oil sector, and ban the sale of all aircraft spare parts and equipment to Russian airlines, which Von der Leyen said would hit a key sector of Russia’s economy and the country’s connectivity.?The sanctions also limit Russia’s access to “crucial technology,” she said.

Diplomats, related groups and businesspeople will no longer have privileged access to the EU, she added.

Ukraine’s Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin has attributed an explosion early Friday over the capital, Kyiv, to a Ukrainian “anti-missile system shooting a (Russian) missile out of the sky.”

CNN has not been able to independently verify this. Earlier Friday morning, CNN reporters on the ground in Kyiv reported hearing several loud blasts.

Separately, Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, said Friday that Kyiv had been hit by “cruise or ballistic missiles.”

Photos shared by Gerashchenko on Friday show a Kyiv residential building on fire, and firefighters responding on the scene as clouds of black smoke rise in the distance.

Firefighters outside a residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron.

French President Emmanuel Macron is positioning himself as the mediator between Russia and Ukraine for a potential ceasefire agreement.

Macron was the first major Western leader to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russian military actions began. They spoke before the summit — but Macron admitted the phone call didn’t achieve much, “since the Russian President has chosen war.”

Macron also accused Putin of duplicity, saying he and other European leaders had been discussing “the details of the implementation of the Minsk agreements” with Putin just hours before the Russian President launched the operation, referring to the 2015 pact that established a shaky ceasefire in the region.

At the summit on Thursday, EU leaders signed off on a new round of sanctions, described by European Council President Charles Michel as “massive” and “painful” against Russia and Belarus.

US President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday the United States was “in consultation with India” on the issue of Ukraine and Russia.?

The comments came in response to a question on whether India, a major US defense partner, was “fully in sync” with the United States, with Biden adding, “We haven’t resolved that completely.”

India has a historic friendship with Russia. At the same time, its strategic partnership with the US has grown at an unprecedented pace over the past two decades.?

Also on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a phone conversation with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, stressing the importance of a “strong collective response” toward Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an official spokesperson said.

Following the call, Blinken tweeted a similar statement, highlighting the “importance of a strong collective response to Russian aggression,” adding “Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is a clear violation of the rules-based international order.”

In response, Jaishanker tweeted: “Appreciate the call from @SecBlinken. Discussed the ongoing developments in Ukraine and its implications.”

A young boy plays with his tablet in a public basement used as a bomb shelter in Kyiv on Thursday.

People in Ukraine woke up to a new reality on Thursday, as explosions rocked major cities and prompted many to flee the capital Kyiv.

Families in Kyiv told CNN about the decision they faced: leave behind their homes, facing potential danger on the road, or stay?

By early morning Thursday, heavy traffic filled roads in Kyiv heading westward, as residents packed up and drove in the opposite direction of the Russian border.

Sviatoslav Fursin, left, and Yaryna Arieva kneel during?their wedding ceremony?at St. Michael's cathedral in Kyiv on Thursday.

Yaryna Arieva and her partner, Sviatoslav Fursin, rushed to tie the knot with the sound of air raid sirens ringing in their ears.

The couple had planned to get married on May 6 and celebrate at a restaurant with a “very, very cute terrace” overlooking the Dnieper River, said 21-year-old Arieva — “Just us and the river and beautiful lights.”

They don’t know what the future will bring — but they’re determined to stay and fight. After their wedding, the couple prepared to go to the local Territorial Defense Center to join efforts to help defend the country.

A staff member of a hotel in Kyiv talks on the phone on Thursday.

People in Kyiv try to board a bus to travel west toward Poland on Thursday.

The specter of war had loomed over Ukraine for years — but residents were still stunned to face their new reality on Thursday as the death toll began to climb.

“It’s hard to believe it’s?actually our neighbor doing this, because?we never really believed that our?neighbor can just come and just grab our land and?tell us what to do,” one woman taking shelter in a subway station in the city of Kharkiv told CNN.

Russian mechanized forces that had entered Ukraine through Belarus were about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Kyiv, top Biden administration officials told House lawmakers in a briefing Thursday, according to two sources on the call, which occurred about 6:30 p.m. ET.

The officials described another Russian element that entered Ukraine from Russia being a bit further away, but that both were headed toward Kyiv with the goal of encircling the city and potentially toppling the Ukrainian government, according to the lawmaker on the call.

A long convoy of vehicles has been moved across a military pontoon bridge over the Pripyat River near the Ukrainian-Belarussian border,?according to new satellite images from Capella Space.

The images, taken at 9:57 p.m. Kyiv time on Thursday, show the vehicles lined up on the southern shore of the Pripyat River.?

This location is deep in?Palieski State Radioecological Reserve, which is part of?the greater Chernobyl exclusion zone.

A mile away from the convoy and pontoon bridge site, dozens of other vehicles are arranged in columns near the abandoned village of Dovlyady, Belarus.?

Dozens of vehicles are arranged in columns near the abandoned village of Dovlyady, Belarus seen in this satellite photo taken Thursday night.

The road from Dovlyady travels across the Ukrainian border to Pripyat and to the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor.?

Earlier on Thursday, Russian forces reportedly took control of the reactor site.?CNN has been reporting about the pontoon bridge’s existence since it was first identified on satellite imagery on Feb. 15.

India’s leader Narendra Modi “appealed for an immediate cessation of violence” in a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the Indian Prime Minister’s office.

Putin briefed Modi about the recent developments in Ukraine, with Modi “reiterating his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue,” the statement added.

Modi also expressed concern over the safety of Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students, adding “India attaches the highest priority to their safe exit and return.”

At least 20,000?Indian nationals including students live in Ukraine, according to India’s ambassador to the UN.

Russia-India ties: Moscow and New Delhi have a military and technical cooperation pact until 2031, and a pledge to boost annual trade to $30 billion by 2025.

They reinforced their ties in December, when Putin traveled to India and the two leaders signed a flurry of trade and arms deals, including 28 investment pacts.

Ukraine’s capital was targeted with missile fire early on Friday local time, according to an adviser to the country’s government.

A CNN team on the ground reported hearing two large blasts in central Kyiv and a third loud explosion in the distance early on Friday.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart on Thursday following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to a readout of the call.?

Austin told Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov that the US supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and would continue to provide defensive assistance to Kyiv in the face of Russia’s “unfounded and unprovoked war.”

Austin also held a series of conversations Thursday with US allies, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the Bucharest Nine — a group of European nations including Romania and Poland that formed in 2015 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine.

He also spoke with the Turkish and Canadian defense ministers.

A CNN team in the Ukrainian capital reported hearing two large blasts in central Kyiv and a third loud explosion in the distance early on Friday.

A United Nations Security Council vote on a resolution condemning Russia is now officially listed on a UN schedule for Friday, but the proposal is expected to be vetoed by Moscow.

The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET though last minute haggling can’t be ruled out.?

Russia is the president of the council for February. The?presidency?rotates between members every month.

Taiwan will impose economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, the self-ruled island’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

In a news release, the ministry said it “strongly condemns” Russia’s decision to start a war against Ukraine, adding that Moscow had posed a serious threat to the rules-based international order.

The statement did not specify how Taiwan will sanction Russia, but the island is a global leader in the production of semiconductor chips.

Read more about the parallels between Taiwan and Ukraine:

A Taiwanese soldier looks on during a rehearsal for the flyby performance for Taiwan's National Day celebration last year.

Related article Analysis: China's leaders may be watching Ukraine with an eye on Taiwan

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced new sanctions against Russia on Friday, targeting “oligarchs whose economic weight is of strategic significance to Moscow,” and more than 300 members of the Russian Parliament who voted for the invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at a news conference, Morrison added that Australia is also working with the United States to coordinate sanctions on “key Belarusian individuals and entities complicit in the aggression, so we are extending those sanctions to Belarus.”

The new sanctions come after Canberra imposed travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight top Russian officials on Thursday.

Ukraine aid: Morrison also confirmed that Australia has been working with NATO to provide “non-lethal military equipment and medical supplies to the people of Ukraine.”

He added that Australia is working “very closely with those partners and allies to support them in their time of need.”?

On China’s response: The Prime Minister also criticized Beijing for its “lack of a strong response” to Russia’s invasion of its former Soviet neighbor.

China?refused to condemn?Russia’s invasion on Thursday, instead repeating calls for parties to “exercise restraint”?and accusing the US of “fueling fire” in the tensions. The move to begin importing?Russian wheat could ease the impact of Western sanctions on?Russia.?

Key Republican voices from across Capitol Hill — who have been coordinating their messaging on the crisis in Ukraine — have been purposely measured in their criticism of US President Joe Biden in the immediate wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with top GOP lawmakers deliberately critiquing the President’s policy decisions as opposed to lobbing personal attacks, according to Republican sources familiar with the situation.

The thinking among key Republicans is that they want to put on a united front and show solidarity with Ukraine, and they don’t want to give any more ammunition to Russian President Vladimir Putin.?

Another reason they are calibrating their responses: Republicans want to send a clear signal to Biden that he would have bipartisan support if he were to move ahead with more punitive measures. While a bipartisan sanctions package stalled on Capitol Hill this month amid divisions over enacting preemptive sanctions, lawmakers are hoping to revive the issue when they return to Capitol Hill next week.

After a conference call with administration briefers on Thursday, one senator told CNN that “there was broad bipartisan agreement” for emergency funding legislation to help shore up the defense capabilities of NATO allies in the Eastern flank and to assist with refugees and humanitarian needs.

Still, Republicans are calling on Biden to enact immediate, stronger sanctions against Russia for its incursion into Ukraine and lamenting that he didn’t do more to deter an attack before it occurred — even as they are being careful in how they criticize the President at a critical juncture in US foreign policy.

House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Michael McCaul, House Armed Services Committee ranking member Mike Rogers and House Intelligence Committee ranking member Mike Turner said in a joint statement that they were “committed to enacting the strongest possible sanctions and export controls to cripple Russia’s ability to make war, punish its barbarity and relegate the Putin regime to the status of an international pariah.”

Read more:

Ranking Member Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken testifies before the House Committee On Foreign Affairs March 10, 2021 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Blinken is expected to take questions about the Biden administration's priorities for U.S. foreign policy.

Related article GOP lawmakers call for stronger sanctions against Russia, but are being careful in their criticism of Biden

The White House on Thursday condemned Russia?over “credible reports” that?civilian staff of the Chernobyl power plant in northern Ukraine?had been taken hostage.

Russians take Chernobyl: Ukrainian officials on Thursday confirmed that Russian forces had overtaken the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.?

Alyona Shevtsova, adviser to the supreme commander of Ukrainian Ground Forces, said on Facebook that Russian forces have taken control of the power station and staff members were being “held hostage.”?

The nuclear disaster: In 1986, more than 30 people died after an explosion ripped through one of the Chernobyl power station’s reactors. In the years and months that followed, many more people died from radiation symptoms.

In the immediate aftermath, a steel and concrete sarcophagus was constructed to cover the damaged reactor and contain the radioactive material, but it has deteriorated since then — leaking radiation.?

In 2016?the New Safe Confinement arch was put in place to seal off the aging and hastily-constructed sarcophagus. In 2020 the facility was handed over to Ukrainian authorities,?according to?the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

China’s Embassy in Kyiv is organizing charter flights to evacuate Chinese nationals out of Ukraine on a voluntary basis due to the “high security risk” in the country.

Flight times will be determined by the safety situation, the statement added.

There are currently around 6,000 Chinese nationals in Ukraine according to the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Brazilian soccer players based in Ukraine pleaded for their government to help evacuate them from the country on Thursday, as President Jair Bolsonaro and his vice president publicly disputed how to refer to the war.?

Shakhtar Donetsk is one of Ukraine’s most popular and successful soccer clubs, becoming the first club in independent Ukraine to the Europe-wide UEFA Cup in 2009. In recent years, it has been forced to relocate away from the city of Donetsk. Last season it played in Kyiv.

A spokesperson from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Leonardo Gorgulho, said on Thursday that the government does not currently have a means to safely rescue the estimated 500 Brazilians living in Ukraine. “The evacuation will be carried out as soon as we have security conditions,” Gorgulho said.

Bolsonaro, VP, dispute how to refer to the war: Meanwhile, President Bolsonaro, who visited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin last week, was at odds with his own vice president on Thursday over how to refer to the war in Ukraine.?

During a live broadcast on his social media, Bolsonaro refrained from calling the situation in Ukraine a war or an invasion and said he will meet with his ministers “so that we can have a dimension of what is happening and Brazil will have its position (on the issue).”

However, earlier on Thursday, Vice President Hamilton Mour?o condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and called for actions beyond economic sanctions on Putin’s government.

Bolsonaro, on his Facebook live, however, said that Brazil’s official position on the matter was up to him as President, not to Mour?o.?

A news release from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry on Thursday also refrained from describing the situation in Ukraine an invasion or a war. The ministry called for an “immediate suspension of hostilities and the beginning of negotiations.”

Japan will impose a series of sanctions targeting Russian financial institutions, military organizations and individuals in response to the invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday.

The range of measures include freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals and financial institutions while also banning exports to Russian military organizations.

The prime minister said there are about 120 Japanese citizens still in Ukraine and the Japanese embassy is working with Poland to try and ensure their safety.

“The Japanese embassy in Ukraine will take all possible measures to protect Japanese nationals. We will set up a government liaison office in Lviv to assist the evacuation by land to Poland,” he said.

After a call between US senators and briefers from the Biden administration, one senator told CNN “there was broad bipartisan agreement” for emergency funding legislation to help shore up the defense capabilities of NATO allies on the alliance’s eastern flank, and to assist with refugees and humanitarian needs.

While the administration has not specified how much would be needed, the senator estimated the package could cost about $10 billion.

New Zealand has imposed targeted travel bans against Russian officials, and is prohibiting the export of goods to the Russian military and security forces in response to the invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday.

New Zealand has also suspended bilateral ministry consultations until further notice, and again called on Russia to return to talks to resolve the crisis.?

The New Zealand government will also offer humanitarian aid but Ardern said it was too early to say what would entail. Consular staff are on standby in eastern Poland to offer help to any New Zealand citizens trying to get out of Ukraine, she said.

“The institutions built to avoid conflict have been threatened and we stand resolute in our duty to provide swift and ongoing condemnation of actions that are putting lives at risk …?our thoughts today are with the people of Ukraine affected by this conflict. Decades of peace and security in the region have been undermined,” she said.

An audio clip has emerged of what appears to be an exchange between Ukrainian soldiers on an island in the Black Sea and an officer of the Russian Navy.

All the soldiers — who were defending Snake Island — are reported to have been killed, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

At some point on Thursday, a Russian warship approached the island.?

The alleged response from a Ukrainian soldier: “Russian warship, go f*** yourself.”

In a conference call with US lawmakers, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he thinks the war will be a “bloody mess” for Russia but warned it could take a while, according to a person familiar with the call.?

This “will take a long time to play out,” Blinken told the lawmakers, the person told CNN.

Attacked from three directions: A separate source familiar with tonight’s briefings told CNN that lawmakers were told Kyiv is under attack from the north, south and east, though it was unclear if administration officials believed it would likely fall.

The officials told lawmakers?that Russia has been facing greater resistance from Ukrainian forces than anticipated, according to a fourth source on the call.?But they did not say whether Kyiv would fall, as it is still too early?assess the dynamics on the ground, the source said.?

Sanctions on Russia: The administration briefers also said they were launching unprecedented sanctions, “both in terms of impact and coordination” that would severely impair the tech, financial and energy sectors.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen defended not cutting Russia off from SWIFT — a high security network that connect thousands of financial institutions around the world — arguing that if was even better to directly target the big Russian banks. Though she added that “all actions remain at Treasury’s disposal.”

A separate source confirmed SWIFT is not off the table, but defended the decision not to take Russia off the platform today, arguing that it is really a way of communicating and Russia would find other ways to communicate.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced a new deployment of ground and air forces to NATO’s eastern flank, even as he reiterated?US troops would not engage in direct conflict?in Ukraine.

In the call, Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, reiterated that the US troops were aimed at both reinforcing Ukraine and trying to prevent Putin from attacking a NATO member.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that he is “convinced” Moscow is going to try to overthrow the Ukrainian government.

Blinken’s comments came during a taped national TV interview in which he was asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions.

Blinken went on to promise that NATO would stand in the way of Putin’s ultimate goals.?

“Now, when it comes to a threat beyond Ukraine’s borders. There’s something very powerful standing in his way. That’s article five of NATO, an attack on one is an attack on all,” the top diplomat said.

The Department of Homeland Security has been designated as the lead federal agency managing the domestic response to the Russia-Ukraine crisis in the wake of warnings about potential cyberattacks on the US?and ongoing disinformation campaigns.?

As part of the effort, DHS has set up a group to monitor Russian activity and coordinate among federal agencies, according to DHS.

The new group, to be led by Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency executive director, Brandon Wales, will work across the federal government to prepare for and respond to potential threats to the US.

DHS has previously set up similar groups in moments of crisis. Last year, for example, DHS established a so-called Unified Coordination Group following the evacuation out of Afghanistan.

Among the current concerns held by?homeland?security officials is potential cyberattacks.

On Thursday: President Biden said the US is “prepared to respond,” if Russia pursues cyberattacks against US companies or critical infrastructure.?

For months, the US has been working closely with the private sector to “harden our cyber defenses” and “sharpen our ability to respond to Russian cyberattacks,” Biden said.?

In a PBS?interview?earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, though there is no information to suggest a specific, credible cyber threat against the US homeland, “it is our responsibility to be prepared.”

“[W]e’ve been disseminating information, providing resources to the private sector for over two months now, once the prospect of a Russian attack against Ukraine materialized,” he said, when pressed on whether sanctions could trigger a cyberattack.?

Last month:?CNN reported?that Russia would consider conducting a cyberattack on the US homeland if Moscow perceived that a US or NATO response to a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine “threatened [Russia’s] long-term national security,” according to a DHS intelligence bulletin obtained by CNN.

The Russian conflict could also have an impact on the spread of misinformation and disinformation in the US.

DHS intelligence chief John Cohen said that escalated tensions between Russia and Ukraine have the potential to exacerbate the threat environment in the US, particularly as it relates to Russian disinformation campaigns and “Active Measure techniques,” referring to long-standing political warfare methods used by Russia.?

Russia has maintained a “sustained level of activity” related to disinformation campaigns and influence operations in the US, according to Cohen, who spoke earlier this month at a George Washington University Program on Extremism event.?

Previously, Russia’s influence operations focused primarily on promoting narratives associated with Covid-19, the 2020 election and issues relating to immigration and race in the US.

As tension with Ukraine spiked, DHS observed an increase in the Russian promotion of narratives trying to lay the blame for the Ukraine crisis “at the feet of the US,” he said.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum strongly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin’s exploitation of Holocaust history as a pretext for war in Ukraine.

In a statement, the museum added that “equally groundless and egregious are his claims that Ukrainian authorities are committing ‘genocide’ as a justification for the invasion of Ukraine.”

Putin, in an unscheduled televised address early on Thursday, made false claims about genocide perpetrated against ethnic Russians in eastern regions of Ukraine and declared an operation to “demilitarize and denazify Ukraine.”?

“These survivors are remnants of one of Europe’s largest pre-war Jewish populations that was almost completely decimated by the Germans in World War II. Having suffered terribly as victims of both Nazism and Communism, Ukrainians today are seeking to fulfill their democratic aspirations,” Eizenstat added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Thursday that according to preliminary figures, at least 137 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the Russian invasion began early on Thursday, and 316 soldiers have been wounded.?

In a video message posted on his Facebook account, Zelensky said other states were “afraid” to support Ukraine’s accession to NATO.?

“No matter how many conversations I had with foreign leaders, I heard a few things. The first is that we are supported. I am grateful to each state that helps us concretely, not just in words. But there is a second — we are left alone to defend our state. Who is ready to fight with us? Honestly — I do not see,” Zelensky said.

“Today I asked the 27 leaders of Europe whether Ukraine will be in NATO, I asked directly. Everyone is afraid, does not answer. And we are not afraid, we are not afraid of anything,” Zelensky said.?

Former President Jimmy Carter has?tweeted?a statement on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying it “threatens security in Europe and the entire world.”

The US is ready to accept Ukrainian refugees and that the government is prepared to assist European countries neighboring Ukraine handle an increased inflow of refugees fleeing a Russian invasion, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday.

She added,?“We’ve been talking and engaging with Europeans about that for some time.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he believes that Russian sabotage groups have entered the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

He added: “I am staying in the government quarter together with others.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has ordered a general military mobilization.?

In a declaration signed late Thursday, Zelensky said that “in order to ensure the defense of the state, maintaining combat and mobilization readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations,” a broad-based mobilization was ordered, including in the capital, Kyiv and all Ukraine’s major cities.

The mobilization also instructed “the Security Service of Ukraine to take counterintelligence measures during the general mobilization.”

It ordered the “conscription of conscripts, reservists for military service, their delivery to military units and institutions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” and other state security services.

At the same time,?Ukraine has banned all-male citizens 18-60 years old from leaving the country, according to the State Border Guard Service.

The statement said that following the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, a temporary restriction had been imposed.?

“In particular, it is forbidden for men aged 18-60, Ukraine citizens, to leave the borders of Ukraine,” the statement said. “This regulation will remain in effect for the period of the legal regime of martial law.?We ask the citizens to take this information into consideration.”

Some more context: At least 57 people have died and 169 injured since Moscow launched the invasion, according to Ukraine’s Minister of Healthcare, Viktor Lyashko.?

“We’re staying home. We don’t want to leave,” says 24-year-old Andrew who had just learned about the travel ban on Ukrainian men. He did not disclose his full name for security reasons.

“I can’t leave now because last update (was that) was that guys from 18 to 68 … cannot leave borders of Ukraine,” he says. “We will stay here till Russians go home because it’s important to us to stay in our homes,” he added. “We will stay with our government.”

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has said it will “temporarily evacuate” all its international mission members from Ukraine as soon as possible.

The updates came Thursday in a statement published by OSCE Secretary-General Helga Maria Schmid.

Schmid said the decision to withdraw OSCE staff from Ukraine was “due to the ongoing fighting and deteriorated security situation” in the country.

A spokesperson for the Secretariat confirmed to CNN that members of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) would be among the evacuees.

The secretary-general said the decision to evacuate “was not taken lightly and the relocation is meant to be temporary,” noting that, “we have a legacy to be proud of in the country. We look forward to resuming our missions when circumstances permit.”

Schmid’s statement closed by saying that “the safety of the dedicated women and men who serve as impartial eyes and ears of the international community on the ground throughout the country is imperative.”

Senate Democrats and Republicans have had early conversations about an emergency aid package to help assist with the military conflict in Ukraine, according to congressional sources.

It’s unclear exactly what that package will look like and how much it will cost given that the military campaign has just begun. They will need the Biden administration to make an official request to help draft the legislation.

Lawmakers expect those talks to intensify next week.

Moreover, some lawmakers from both parties have called for a tougher legislative response on sanctions against Russia, including Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez, who wants to restart talks on sanctions legislation that stalled earlier this month, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Immigrant attorneys and advocacy organizations are urging the Biden administration to extend a form of humanitarian relief, known as Temporary Protected Status, to Ukrainians in the US to shield them from deportation.

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. similarly called on the administration to extend immigration relief to Ukrainians.?

“As we watch in horror the attacks unfolding in the neighborhoods and homes of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters, we urge President Biden to protect human life by extending TPS, DED and SSR to Ukrainians currently in the United States,” said Anna Gallagher, CLINIC’s executive director, in a statement, referring also to Deferred Enforced Departure and Special Student Relief.

The Department of Homeland Security said it’s monitoring the situation, but didn’t disclose whether a decision has been made.?

“We continue to closely monitor conditions in Ukraine. We have no announcements to share or preview at this time,” a Homeland Security spokesperson said.

Ukrainians in the US are desperately searching for answers for loved ones back home to try to bring them to the US and out of harm’s way, according to immigration attorneys.?

“People are extremely, extremely hurt, terrified, upset, crying,”?Iryna Mazur, an immigration attorney and Honorary Consul for Ukraine, told CNN.?

Mazur said her phone has been ringing constantly since the invasion as Ukrainians whose relatives had pending petitions come to the US seek answers and those here on visas try to chart next steps.

The US has not seen Russia employ the “full scope of their electronic warfare capabilities,” at this point, a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday.

Some background: The standoff between the US and Russia over the conflict in Ukraine has so far mainly played out on diplomatic and economic fronts.

But now, as?Russia invades Ukraine?and the US?imposes new sanctions?on Russia, there are concerns that may change. The US government is on high alert for the possibility of the conflict spilling over into cyberspace, where Russia has shown an ability to cause significant disruption and damage in the past.

On Tuesday, a senior FBI cyber official?warned US businesses and local governments?that they should be vigilant against potential ransomware attacks, just days after multiple US agencies issued a?similar warning to executives at major US banks, according to people with knowledge of both meetings.

If the recent past is any indication, there are a number of ways Russian hackers could disrupt US businesses and the general public.

Read more here.

Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv has gone dark and very quiet late Thursday night.

The evening respite stands in stark contrast to a day marked by sporadic explosions and air raid sirens.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced a curfew from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. local time, leaving the streets deserted and many buildings completely dark.

People across the city have either switched off their lights or drawn their curtains.

The city public transport system has also been shut down for the night, although all metro stations remain open and can be used as emergency shelters.

A view of the city center facing east.

The small Ukrainian island of Zmiinyi in the Black Sea has been captured by the Russian forces, Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said in a statement posted on Facebook late on Thursday.

The border guard service said infrastructure on the island was destroyed after an aerial attack and artillery shelling. Communications with the border guards and armed forces on the island was severed, according to the post.?

Zmiinyi Island, or “Snake Island,” is one of the country’s southernmost settlements. The island, which is roughly 20 miles south from the Ukrainian coast, island plays a key role in establishing the boundaries of Ukraine’s territorial waters.

The island’s small population consists mostly of border guards.?

The border guard service said in a statement that the island had been “captured by the enemy” based on last information it received. It added that Russian forces demanded that those defending the island surrender.?

“It should be noted that the SBGSU, together with the Ukrainian armed forces and the National Guard of Ukraine, continues to fight actively against enemy,” the statement added.

At around 12:15 a.m. local time, salvos of what appeared to be artillery rockets were fired toward Ukraine, according to a CNN crew on the ground.?

CNN has seen heavy concentrations of Russian troops south of Belgorod in Russia near the final checkpoint towards Ukraine and a highway that leads to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.?

Prior to Thursday’s UEFA Europa League match between FC Barcelona and Napoli, players from both sides lifted a sign reading “STOP WAR.”

The sign was held in unison before kickoff at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy.

The two teams also shared a photo of the sign on their respective Twitter accounts with Spanish and Italian phrases that translate in English to “Let’s stop the war,” followed by the hashtag #StopWar.

The official website for FC Barcelona said, “The message is a united condemnation of Russia’s military action against Ukraine.”

Barcelona won the match 4-2.

Here are both team’s tweets:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a news conference in Washington on February 22.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said Thursday that “all evidence suggests that Russia intends to encircle and threaten Kyiv, and we believe Moscow has developed plans to inflict widespread human rights abuses – and potentially worse – on the Ukrainian people.”

The top US diplomat did not elaborate on what “potentially worse” action Moscow could inflict on the people of Ukraine in his remarks to a special meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

“The members of this organization and the entire international community now plainly see Russia’s complete abandonment and abdication of the commitments it made to the world – and we will never forget,” Blinken said.

Russia and Ukraine are both participating states in the OSCE.

Russia is mounting a full-bore campaign to justify its invasion of Ukraine, especially among the country’s wealthy elite, as Western nations move to punish the Kremlin for attacking its neighbor.

The widespread international outrage — and quick moves by Washington and Brussels to sanction Russia — have made it clear that Russia will, in the short term, be something of a pariah state. US President Joe Biden?said Thursday?that Washington will limit Russia’s ability?to do business in dollars,?euros, pounds and yen, cutting Moscow out of large swathes of the global economy. Russian banks that together hold around $1 trillion in assets are also being targeted by US sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is now trying to convince his people that the cost was unavoidable.

Knowing such measures were likely coming, prompted Putin to address Russian business leaders hours before Biden’s announcement.

The Russian leader said that business should expect “restrictions” on the Russian economy because of the invasion, which he justified as a “necessary measure.”

The spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, Maria Zakharova, went even further. She attempted to frame the Kremlin’s invasion of its smaller neighbor as an attempt to prevent a world war.

“This is not a beginning of war. It prevents a global military confrontation,” she said.

Both statements, on their surface, seem illogical. How could Ukraine, a country of 44 million people, pose an existential threat to one of the world’s few nuclear powers?

But Putin believed that NATO and the West were using Ukraine, which he?does not see as a legitimate state, to threaten Russia and topple his government.

If Putin hopes to mollify the concerns of Russia’s elite, who will almost certainly feel the economic pinch of sanctions, he’ll have to convince them he’s right.

Russia has launched “in total more than 160 missiles for airstrikes,” a senior US defense official told reporters Thursday.??

Most of the missiles are “short-range ballistic missiles,” but the total airstrikes include a “mix of medium-range as well as cruise missiles,” the official said.

Right now, the official said the US is not seeing “a push deeper or further into the West.”

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at an event in Geneva in October 2021.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday expressed sadness and worry for Ukrainians amid the Russian invasion.

“The health system must continue to function to deliver essential care to people for all health issues,” he added in the post.

“International humanitarian law calls for protection of health facilities, workers, patients, transport, and supplies. As part of WHO’s role to document attacks on health, we will continue to monitor and report such incidents,” Tedros said.

“I call for peace and sustained access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. I’ve released a further $3.5 million from WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies to buy and deliver urgent medical supplies. This adds to supplies we prepositioned in health facilities,” the tweet concluded.

See his tweet:

The tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalated after Russian forces?invaded Ukraine from three sides, while explosions rang through a number of cities, including the capital Kyiv, in a broad attack that began before dawn on Thursday. The West condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for this invasion.

What happened overnight

CNN teams heard explosions in and near multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, the second-largest city Kharkiv, Odessa, and distant firing from Zaporizhzhia. Images released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office showed large explosions to the east of the capital Kyiv with huge columns of smoke rising into the air.

Ukrainian officials said more than 40 soldiers and as many as 10 civilians had been killed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began shortly before dawn.

Protests erupt in Russia

Russian riot police were urging protesters to leave Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow. CNN’s Nic Robertson and team on the ground have witnessed people being detained by police. Some are carrying signs with messages, including multiple signs saying “no to war.”? Russian authorities on Thursday warned citizens that participating in anti-war protests could lead to prosecution and criminal charges.

At least 1675 people have been detained today at anti-war protests all over Russia, with at least 919 of them in Moscow, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info.

Russian forces took control of a Ukrainian air base near Kyiv and the Chernobyl nuclear plant

Russian forces have seized control of the?Chernobyl power plant?in northern Ukraine, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster, according to the agency that manages the area. Troops overran the plant on the first day of?Russia’s multi-pronged invasion of Ukraine, a spokesperson for the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management, Yevgeniya Kuznetsovа, told CNN.

Russian airborne troops have taken control of the Antonov Airport, which is about 25 miles away from the center of Kyiv, Ukraine, CNN’s Matthew Chance reported Thursday. “The helicopter-borne troops were landed in the early hours of the morning to make and perform an air bridge to allow for more troops to come in,” he reported.

US announces sanctions against Russia

US President Joe?Biden?said Thursday that the newly announced sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine will take some time to have their full impacts felt by Russia and its economy.?The President also said that the sanctions are critical for sending a message to Putin.?“If we don’t move against him now with these significant sanctions, he will be emboldened,”?Biden?said.?

Read the full list of all US sanctions against Russia here.

World leaders consider additional actions

US President Joe Biden says he agreed with fellow G7 leaders “to move forward on devastating packages of sanctions and other economic measures to hold Russia to account.”

The United Kingdom is set to sanction 100 people and entities as part of further sanctions against Russia, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Thursday afternoon.

In a speech to the UK parliament, the prime minister said the UK is announcing the?“largest and most severe package of sanctions that Russia has ever seen.”??

European Union leaders have been considering what some are calling the “nuclear option” of removing Russia from SWIFT, a high security network that connect thousands of financial institutions around the world, following the invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said Thursday that removing Russia from?SWIFT?is not the direction the rest of Europe wants to go in at this moment, but noted that taking the nation out of the network is “always an option.”

Looking for more detail? Here’s a timeline of how things unfolded.

Authorities in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv have ordered a city-wide lights out as a “preventative” security measure, less than a day after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country.?

All street and building lighting is to be switched off at 11 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET), a Facebook post by the Lviv regional authority said. It instructed households to follow the order, and?asked people not to leave their homes, with the exception of emergency cases.?

Lviv hosts a number of embassies and consulates which?relocated from?Kyiv in recent weeks?because of?the relative safety of the western Ukrainian city.

On Thursday morning, Russia attacked three locations in the region, activating air raid sirens in the city for the first time since World War II.?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a briefing Thursday afternoon and announced a new set of sanctions.?

“Canada is unequivocal in our condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on the sovereign, democratic state of Ukraine,” he said. “President Putin’s brazen disregard for international law, democracy, and human life are a massive threat to security and peace around the world.”?

Trudeau said Canada is imposing “severe sanctions” that target 58 individuals and entities, including members of the Russian elite and their family members.

In his address, Trudeau also called Putin’s actions “the greatest threat to European stability since World War II,” and said he has been in contact with Ukraine President?Volodymyr Zelensky.

“I told him that we are announcing strong action today and continue to stand with him and with the Ukrainian people,” Trudeau said.?

Earlier Thursday morning, Trudeau met with Canada’s G7 partners to coordinate a response to the invasion. He said the Canadian government is also working closely with NATO and other allies.?

Trudeau called on Putin to stop all “hostile actions” against Ukraine and withdraw all military and proxy forces from the country.?

“And while the eyes of the world are on leaders, we can never lose sight of the human cost of conflict,” he said. “Innocent people, including children, are now facing violence and chaos. In these dark hours, Canada’s message to Ukraine is this:?You are not alone. We are standing with you.”

Protesters attend a demonstration at Place de la République in Paris on February 24.

Crowds gathered at Place de la République in central Paris on Thursday evening in a show of support for Ukraine, with many carrying the Ukrainian flag, according to CNN’s team in Paris.?

The rally was one of two organized on Thursday to show support for Ukraine, including a protest staged in front of the Russian Embassy in Paris.

Members of the crowd could be heard chanting “sanctions against Russia.”

Some Ukrainian expatriates living in France were also present at the rally.

Slava – a Ukrainian national who declined to give his last name for safety reasons – told CNN, “I am here to support my country.”

Correction: An earlier version of this post incorrectly characterized the quoted individual.

European Union leaders have been considering what some are calling the “nuclear option” of removing Russia from SWIFT, a high security network that connect thousands of financial institutions around the world, following the invasion of Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said Thursday that removing Russia from?SWIFT?is not the direction the rest of Europe wants to go in at this moment, but noted that taking the nation out of the network is “always an option.”

“The sanctions that we’ve proposed on all their banks are of equal consequence, maybe more consequence than?SWIFT,” Biden said, referring to the latest round of sanctions he announced today.

The Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday urged the West to ban Russia from?SWIFT?in a tweet. Earlier on Thursday, CNN reported that the EU was undecided as to whether to cut Russia off from?SWIFT?and that EU nations were split over the decision.

But what is SWIFT, and what could it mean for Russia? The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication was founded in 1973 to replace the telex and is now used by over 11,000 financial institutions to send secure messages and payment orders. With no globally accepted alternative, it is essential plumbing for global finance.

Removing Russia from SWIFT would make it nearly impossible for financial institutions to send money in or out of the country, delivering a sudden shock to Russian companies and their foreign customers — especially buyers of oil and gas exports denominated in US dollars.

SWIFT is based in Belgium and governed by a board consisting of 25 people, including Eddie Astanin, chairman of the management board at Russia’s Central Counterparty Clearing Centre. SWIFT, which describes itself as a “neutral utility,” is incorporated under Belgian law and must comply with EU regulations.

What happens if Russia is removed? There is precedent for removing a country from SWIFT.

SWIFT unplugged Iranian banks in 2012 after they were sanctioned by the European Union over the country’s nuclear program. Iran lost almost half of its oil export revenue and 30% of foreign trade following the disconnection, according to Shagina.

“SWIFT is a neutral global cooperative set up and operated for the collective benefit of its community,” the organization said in a statement in January. “Any decision to impose sanctions on countries or individual entities rests solely with the competent government bodies and applicable legislators,” it added.

It’s not clear how much support there is among US allies for taking similar action against Russia. The United States and Germany have the most to lose if Russia is disconnected, because their banks are the most frequent SWIFT users to communicate with Russian banks, according to Shagina.

The European Central Bank has warned lenders with significant exposure to Russia to prepare for sanctions against Moscow, according to the?Financial Times. ECB officials have also asked banks how they would respond to scenarios including a move to prevent Russian banks accessing SWIFT.

Read more about SWIFT here.

CNN’s Kate Sullivan in Washington, DC, Niamh Kennedy in London and James Frater in Lviv contributed reporting to this post.

US President Joe?Biden?said Thursday that the newly announced sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine will take some time to have their full impacts felt by Russia and its economy.?

He added,?“He’s not going to say, ‘Oh my God, these sanctions are coming. I’m going to stand down.’ He’s going to test the resolve of the West to see if we stay together and we will. We will and it will impose significant costs on him.”

The President also said that the sanctions are critical for sending a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin.?

“If we don’t move against him now with these significant sanctions, he will be emboldened,”?Biden?said.?

Here’s a look at the unveiled sanctions and who they will target, according to the White House: ?

A Russian Antonov-26 military transport aircraft crashed in the Voronezh region, near Ukraine, while transporting equipment, the Russian Western Military District said in a statement on Thursday, according to RIA, a Russian state news agency.

“The crew died,” the statement read, without clarifying how many were on board and saying the cause of the crash was “equipment failure.”

The Canadian minister of foreign affairs announced Thursday that the country will temporarily suspend embassy and consulate operations in Ukraine.?

Joly said operations at the embassy and consulate will resume when “the security situation in Ukraine allows us to ensure the adequate delivery of services.”?

Consular services will remain available to Canadians in Ukraine.?

“The safety and security of all Canadians is our highest priority,” Joly said.?“Canadians should continue to avoid all travel to Ukraine. We urge those currently in Ukraine to shelter in place unless it is safe for them to leave the country.”?

The US government is expanding the area near Ukraine where American pilots cannot fly.?

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is publishing an expanded notice to pilots that will “now cover the entire country of Ukraine, the entire country of Belarus and a western portion of Russia.”

Prior to this announcement, the FAA?prohibited operations only in an eastern region of Ukraine?–?though the Ukrainian airspace was already closed and no?US airlines operate flights to or from Ukraine.?

The FAA says it is putting out its own bulletin to pilots instead of relying on one from the Ukrainian government “given the circumstances.” The restrictions do not apply to military operations.????

There are 57 people who have died and 169 people have been injured – including both combat and non-combat injuries – following attacks by Russian forces, Ukraine’s Minister of Healthcare Viktor Lyashko said Thursday.

Speaking live on Ukraine’s 1+1 TV channel, Lyashko said hospitals and medical workers had also come under fire on Thursday – including in Avdiivka and Vuhledar in Donetsk – with casualties reported among medical workers.

Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin is pictured during joint military drills between Belarus and Russia at the training ground in Belarus on February 19.

The US Treasury Department on Thursday announced sanctions against 24 Belarusian individuals and entities, including the defense minister, due to their?“support for, and facilitation of” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Biden administration had said that Minsk would face “swift and decisive” sanctions if it allowed Russia to launch an attack of Ukraine from its territory.

Among those targeted by Thursday’s sanctions are two Belarusian state-owned banks – Belinvestbank and Bank Dabrabyt – as well as Belarusian Minister of?Defense Viktor Gennadievich Khrenin and State Secretary of the Security Council of Belarus Aleksandr Grigorievich Volfovich.?

“Treasury continues to disrupt Belarus’s military and financial capabilities through targeted sanctions. Further, due to the interconnectedness between the two countries, the actions Treasury took against Russia today will also impose severe economic pain on the Lukashenka regime,” Yellen said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko spoke by phone on Thursday, according to Belarusian state news agency Belta.

CNN also witnessed, through a livestream video, troops atop a column of military vehicles entering Ukraine from a border crossing with Belarus Thursday.

Russian invaded Ukraine after President Vladimir Putin announced a?military operation early Thursday. Russian forces surrounded Ukraine from three sides and have been attacking from land and sea.

Here are the visuals as the assault quickly spread across Ukraine. You can also visit CNN’s photo gallery for more.

Ukrainian servicemen patrol in the Luhansk region of Ukraine on February 24.

Smoke rises from an air defense base after an apparent Russian strike in Mariupol, Ukraine, on February 24. A CNN team in Mariupol has reported hearing a?barrage of artillery.

People shelter in a subway station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 24.

Firefighters attempt to extinguish a fire after a reported strike in the eastern Ukraine town of Chuhuiv on February 24.

Sviatoslav Fursin, left, and Yarina Arieva, center, kneel during their wedding ceremony at St. Michael's cathedral in Kyiv on February 24. Arieva, a 21 year-old deputy on the Kyiv city council, and Fursin, a 24 year-old software engineer, had planned on getting married in May but moved it due to attacks by Russian forces on Thursday.

Police officers inspect the remains of a missile that landed in Kyiv on February 24.

People wait in line to buy train tickets at the central station in Kyiv on February 24.

A long line of cars is seen?exiting Kyiv?on February 24. Heavy traffic appeared to be heading west, away from where explosions were heard early in the morning.

People in Moscow watch a televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin as he?announces a military operation?in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine on February 24.

The US expelled the No. 2 diplomat at the Russian embassy in Washington, DC, in response to Russia expelling the second-ranking US diplomat in Moscow earlier this year,?a State Department official confirms.

The Russians were alerted of this yesterday, and the diplomat was given a few weeks to leave the US, the official said.

The US took this action as a direct response to what the Russians had done — nothing related to the Ukraine crisis. This instance follows years of diplomatic tit-for-tats?exchanged?between the two countries.?

The No. 2 person at the Russian embassy who will be leaving is the minister counselor.

A long line of cars is seen?exiting Kyiv?on February 24. Heavy traffic appeared to be heading west, away from where explosions were heard early in the morning.

More than 100,000 people have moved within Ukraine, “fleeing the violence for safety,” the United Nations refugee agency said in a statement Thursday.?

Refugee resettlement organizations are mobilizing resources to assist displaced Ukrainians, advocates tell CNN. The scale and scope of refugee resettlement is likely to come into focus in the coming days and weeks. But refugee advocates are already warning of displacement — and meeting the needs of refugees — as Russia invades Ukraine.?

“Usually, these conflicts and exodus of refugees happens over time. You see a few people, then a few more people,” said Melanie Nezer, senior vice president of global public affairs at HIAS, a refugee resettlement organization. Nezer cautioned that it’s still unclear how long the conflict will last and if people will be able to return home.??

“We are working to quickly mobilize resources and connect with partners to establish a response that will provide life-saving support to civilians forced to flee their homes,” Lani Fortier, senior director of emergencies at the International Rescue Committee, said in a statement.??

HIAS’ partner in the region, Right to Protection, has been assisting displaced people in Ukraine for years. Since the invasion, staff have been seeking safety, Nezer said.?

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield warned Wednesday at the UN General Assembly meeting as many as five million people could be displaced “by Russia’s war of choice.”

Some context: The United States has resettled thousands of Ukrainians in recent years. The process, though, can be long and cumbersome, meaning that an influx of refugees to the US is not expected imminently.?

“Because resettlement is not the first response in a conflict situation, we’re not anticipating huge numbers of Ukrainian refugees through the US resettlement program specifically,” said Jenny Yang, senior vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, another resettlement agency.??

The United States is prepared to respond to cyberattacks by Russia, said President Joe Biden, adding that for months the US has been working with the private sector to bolster its security.

“America stands up to bullies; we stand up for freedom,” Biden said. “This is who we are.”

US officials?remain on high alert for?any?cyber activity against key domestic targets including banks and critical infrastructure, an official recently told CNN. US officials told businesses?to watch for potential ransomware attacks following sanctions issued against Russia earlier this week.

On Wednesday,?White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the administration has not yet attributed cyberattacks on some Ukrainian government websites, but noted that the attack is “consistent with [the] type of activity Russia would carry out in a bid to destabilize Ukraine.”?

Earlier Thursday, multiple Russian government websites appeared to go offline?outside of Russia?as the war in Ukraine continued to unfold — though the exact reasons for the outages were not immediately clear.

US President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia on Thursday and said they have been agreed upon by G7 and NATO members.

While “it will not feel like much” to Ukrainians, it’s “fair” to describe these sanctions as robust, said CNN anchor Erin Burnett reporting from Lviv, Ukraine.

“Obviously, it’s a disappointment?that Europe would not get on?board with bans to the?SWIFT Banking system,” she added.

SWIFT stands for the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication which is used by over 11,000 financial institutions to send secure messages and payment orders.

Burnett explained the numbers that matter here in relation to the sanctions Biden announced:

First, $100 per barrel

“That is where Brent and crude oil?are trading now.?So denying Russia, and those?companies that deal with that,?the ability to benefit from?that — that’s pain,” she said.?“To the extent they can still?sell it to China, which they?can. China is still going to?remain — unless there’s a big?development here — going to?pretty much become the primary?buyer of a lot of Russian things?and the primary provider of those?tech exports.”

Second, 33%

“That’s how much the Russian?stock market finished down?today, after initially losing half its value. So there’s pain there.?Putin said about an hour or two?ago to the wealthy in that?country that your patriotic duty?is to now shoulder some of the downside here,?making it very clear there will be?pain.”

Third, the unknown.

Biden mentioned the?“elites and their families,?the billionaires, the corrupt” in Russia will be sanctioned, Burnett said. “He didn’t tell you how many and?he didn’t tell who they are.?He said we’re going to know in the coming days.?That’s crucial.?So far they have only sanctioned five?of them.”

She added that the list of Russians sanctioned so far are not anywhere near the?top 25, 35 or 45 wealthiest?Russians.?“This list is going to really matter” Burnett said.

“A?lot will come down to who the?individuals are, and are they?really going to block them from?access to the things they care?about the most??The art galleries, yachts,?women, and the glitz of the?western world.?That’s what they want.?If isn’t blocked, then they will?not be effective,” she said.

More context: In his White House remarks today, Biden said his threat to directly sanction Russian President Vladimir?Putin?is “not a bluff,” he told CNN.

Biden said the current sanctions “exceed anything that’s ever been done,” but he didn’t answer when asked why he hasn’t directly sanctioned?Putin?yet.

Asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins what could stop?Putin?if sanctions can’t, the President responded, “I didn’t say sanctions couldn’t stop him.”

“The threat of the sanctions and imposing the sanctions and seeing the effect of the sanctions are two different things,” Biden said. “He’s going to begin to see the effect of the sanctions.”?

Pressed by Collins on if direct sanctions on?Putin?were a step he was prepared to take, Biden said the threat was “not a bluff, it’s on the table.” But asked why not sanction him now, the President didn’t respond.

CNN’s Nikki Carvajal contributed reporting to this post.

Here’s how CNN’s Abby Phillip reacted to President Biden announcing the second round of sanctions against Russia:

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00:48 - Source: CNN

Multiple Russian government websites appeared to go offline?outside of Russia?Thursday as the war in Ukraine continued to unfold — though the exact reasons for the outages were not immediately clear.

A website belonging to the Russian military became inaccessible to users outside of Russia early Thursday evening Eastern European Time, as did the domain for Russia’s federal government (albeit briefly) and the English-language version of the Kremlin’s website.

According to Doug Madory, an analyst at the internet monitoring firm Kentik, the disruptions are part of a broader pattern of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks targeting Russia’s government.

It is unclear who may be responsible for the flood of bogus internet traffic. Other cybersecurity experts expressed doubts that a major DDoS campaign was underway. At least some of the website outages may be the result of Russia’s own moves to preempt potential DDoS attacks, three cybersecurity experts told CNN.

Deactivating the websites is a “defensive measure and a means of isolating a portion of the [Russian] Internet,” said CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton.

James Lewis, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Russia likely unplugged its own websites “to reduce risk.”

“Nobody has taken credit [for the outages], and people aren’t shy about doing that,” Lewis said.

Brett Callow, a threat analyst at the information security firm Emsisoft, said it is a common practice for a domain owner to disconnect its own website in the midst of a crisis.

“US companies frequently do a similar thing during ransomware incidents, namely, block all connections from outside the US,” Callow said.

Russian military vehicles are at the?Chernobyl?nuclear accident site near Pripyat, Ukraine, according to?videos uploaded to social media.?

Earlier on Thursday,?the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management spokesperson, Yevgeniya Kuznetsovа, told CNN that the Russian military had taken control over the plant.?

“As you can see, we are surrounded by these tanks,” an individual is heard saying on one of the?videos posted to social media.?

In the three?videos, three vehicles are seen; one of the vehicles is a Russian tank and is emblazoned with a white “v” on the front.?

Similar white markings have suddenly appeared on Russian military vehicles in recent days.

The vehicles are parked outside of one of the main buildings in the same complex as?Chernobyl’s damaged nuclear reactor.?They are roughly 3,000 feet from the?New Safe Confinement shield.?

“We were attacked,” a man is heard saying in the?video.?“There is another man with us. They all just disappeared. The station is completely empty.”?

The man moved around a room in the complex building as he filmed.

“Damn it,” he said.?“They’ve even left their helmets, there is not a single ensign anywhere.”

On Thursday,?Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Twitter that Russian forces were attempting to seize control of the?Chernobyl?Nuclear Power Plant.

“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the?Chernobyl?[Nuclear Power Plant]. Our defenders are sacrificing their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated,” Zelensky tweeted.

Here’s a look at where the plant is located:

US President Joe Biden declined to comment when asked about whether China would help isolate Russia.

Following his remarks on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a reporter asked the President, “Are you urging China to help?isolate Russia?”

China’s response to the invasion: China?has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine Thursday, instead repeating calls for parties to “exercise restraint”?and accusing the United States of “fueling fire” in the tensions.

In a Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing that went on for more than 90 minutes, spokesperson and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying?dodged more than 11 questions regarding Russia’s actions in Ukraine. They included repeated inquiries on whether?Beijing?would consider Russia’s acts an invasion and whether they violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.?

The China-Russia friendship:?Beijing is navigating a complex position as it attempts to balance deepening ties with Moscow with its practiced foreign policy of staunchly defending state sovereignty.

Though not military allies, China and Russia have been presenting?an increasingly united front?in the face of what they view as Western interference into their respective affairs and regions.

President Biden spoke harshly about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s military operation in Ukraine on Thursday.

Biden went on to note the aggressive tacts the Russian president has taken to expand his territory.

This invasion is “about Putin’s desire for empire?by any means necessary.?By bullying Russia’s neighbors?through coercion and corruption.?By changing borders by force,?and ultimately by choosing a?war without a cause,” Biden said. “Putin’s action betrays sinister?vision for the future of our?world, one where nations to take what they want?by force.”

President Biden spoke on the ways in which Putin’s goals and agenda stand in direct contrast to the values of the US and others.

“It’s a vision that the United?States and freedom-loving?nations everywhere will oppose with every tool?of our considerable power.?The United States and our allies?and partners will emerge from?this stronger, more united, more?determined and more purposeful,” said Biden.

President Biden also predicted that the current strategy by Putin will do his nation long-term harm.

“Putin’s aggression against?Ukraine will end up costing?Russia dearly, economically and?strategically.?We will make sure of that.?Putin will be a pariah on the?international stage,” Biden said.

“When the history of this area is?written, Putin’s choice to make a?totally unjustifiable war on?Ukraine will have left Russia?weaker and the rest of the world?stronger.?Liberty, democracy, human?dignity: these are the forces far more?powerful than fear and?oppression.?They cannot be extinguished by?tyrants like Putin and his?armies.?They cannot be erased from people’s hearts and hopes by any?amount of violence and?intimidation. They endure,” Biden added.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters the “decisions of the next few days will shape our world” after Russian invaded Ukraine.

Guterres reiterated his comments that the attack is wrong and a repudiation of the principles of the UN charter.?He added that though the decision is not irreversible, Russia has given no sign of pulling back.

Guterres declined to take questions.

He said the UN is scaling up its humanitarian operations around Ukraine and is releasing $20 million from its humanitarian relief fund for the people of Ukraine.

Russian military operations are being seen?“on a scale that Europe has not seen in decades,” he added.

There are “images of fear anguish and terror in every corner of Ukraine” he said, adding that the “protection of civilians must be priority number one.”

US President Joe Biden said direct sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin are still “on the table” while taking questions from reporters at the White House.

Watch CNN’s Kaitlan Collins press Biden on sanctioning Putin:

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00:58 - Source: CNN

He did not answer when she asked why he was not personally sanctioning Putin today.

Biden also said he has no plans to talk to Putin after outlining the steps the US is taking to retaliate against the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Biden said removing Russia from SWIFT is not the direction the rest of Europe wants to go in at this moment.?

Biden said removing the nation from SWIFT, a high security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world, is “always an option,” but said, “right now, that’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take.”

Removing Russia from SWIFT would make it nearly impossible for financial institutions to send money in or out of the country. It would deliver a shock to Russian companies and their foreign customers — especially buyers of oil and gas exports denominated in US dollars.?

The Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba on Thursday urged the West to ban Russia from SWIFT in a tweet. Earlier on Thursday, CNN reported that the EU was undecided as to whether to cut Russia off from SWIFT and that EU nations were split over the decision.?

The US Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of 7,000 US service members to Europe, a senior defense official told reporters shortly after US President Joe Biden’s announcement.?

Biden said he’d authorized “the deployment of ground and air forces already stationed in Europe,” to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. He also said he’d authorized “additional US force capabilities” be sent to Germany as part of NATO’s response, including some forces that had been placed on standby several weeks ago.

In White House remarks, Biden reiterated that US forces “are not and will not be engaged in a conflict with Russia in Ukraine.”

“Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine, but to defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the East,” he added. ?

US President Joe Biden said Thursday that he authorized the deployment of air and ground forces in Europe to the eastern flank of allies and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to defend NATO.

“We’re?also taking steps to defend our?NATO allies.?Particularly in the east,” the President said during remarks from the White House following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Biden continued, “Tomorrow, NATO will convene a?summit.?We’ll be there to bring together?the leaders of 30 allied nations?and close partners to affirm our?solidarity and to map out the?next steps we will take to?further strengthen all aspects?of our NATO alliance.”

The President also made clear that US troops will not be going to Europe to “fight in Ukraine” but to defend the NATO alliance.

The President added that he has “no doubt” that NATO members will “meet our Article 5 commitments, which says an attack on?one is an attack on all.”

Biden then said that he authorized “deployment of ground and air forces stationed in Europe to the eastern flank” and also is authorizing “additional?US force capabilities to?deploy to Germany as part of?NATO’s response.”

US President Joe Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin is disconnected from the rest of the world and wants to revive the former Soviet Union.

Biden remained steadfast that sanctions will have an effect on Russian aggression after the country attacked Ukraine.

“It will weaken his country.?He’ll have to make a very, very?difficult choice of whether to?continue to move toward being a?second-rate power or, in fact,?respond,” Biden said.

“If we don’t move against him now?with these significant?sanctions, he will be?emboldened,” Biden later said.

President Biden said he has “no plans to talk” with Russian President Vladimir Putin after he announced a military strike on Ukraine.

Earlier in his address, Biden said, “Putin’s aggression against?Ukraine will end up costing?Russia dearly economically and?strategically.”

“Putin will be a pariah on the?international stage,” he added. “Putin’s choice to make a?totally unjustifiable war on?Ukraine will have left Russia?weaker and the rest of the world?stronger.”

President Biden said as the US responds to Russian attack on Ukraine, he will try “to limit the pain the American?people are feeling at the gas?pump” as well.

Biden said officials are monitoring energy?supplies for disruptions.?

“We’ve been coordinating with?major oil-producing and?consuming countries toward our?common interest to secure global?energy supplies.?We are actively working with?countries around the world to?elevate collective release from?the strategic petroleum reserves?for major energy-consuming?countries,” he said. “And the United States will release?additional barrels of oil as?conditions warrant.”?

Biden said he knows that gas prices have already been rising in the US.

“I know this is hard and that?Americans are already hurting.?I will do everything in my power?to limit the pain the American?people are feeling at the gas?pump.?This is critical to me.?But this aggression cannot go?unanswered.?If it did, the consequences for?America would be much worse.?America stands up to bullies.?We stand up for freedom.?This is who we are,” he said.

US President Joe Biden gave an address on the situation in Ukraine, condemned Russia for launching the military strike on Thursday, and announced new strong sanctions and limitations on what can be exported to Russia.

“This is going to impose severe?cost on the Russian economy,?both immediately and over time.?We have purposefully designed?these sanctions to maximize a?long-term impact on Russia and?to minimize the impact on the?United States and our allies,” he said.

The?United States is not doing this?alone, he said, adding that the 27 EU members and G7 members will participate in these sanctions.

Here are the sanctions he announced:

He added, “we’re also blocking?four more major banks.?That means every asset they have?in America will be frozen.”

“It’s going to take time and we have to show resolve, so he knows what is coming.?So the people of Russia know?what he’s brought on them.?That’s what this is all about.?This is going to take time,” Biden later said.

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00:33 - Source: CNN

US President Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin bears full responsibility for attacking Ukraine and said Russia will face the consequences because of it.

Biden is now announcing additional sanctions on Russia.

US President Joe?Biden?is addressing the nation from the White House as his administration assesses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Biden “will deliver remarks on Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine,” the White House said in its daily guidance.

In a Twitter message published earlier today, Biden said he agreed with fellow G7 leaders “to move forward on devastating packages of sanctions and other economic measures to hold Russia to account.”

The US and the world have not seen a “conventional move like this,?nation state?to?nation state, since World War II” a senior defense official had told reporters earlier on Thursday. “Certainly nothing on this size and scope and scale.”

In a pre-recorded televised address to the nation on Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, stating that Europe “will not accept this violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty by Russia.”?

“With the attack on Ukraine, President Putin wants to turn back time – but there is no going back to the time of the 19th century when great powers decided over the heads of smaller states,” Scholz said.

In his address, Scholz said that the European Union “had hope” that diplomatic efforts would prove fruitful, but “were not na?ve.”

He also noted that the EU is ready to launch further sanctions against Russia, adding that Russia “will pay a high price” for its actions in Ukraine.?

Russian troops have crossed?into Ukraine and?bombardments are taking place in several cities. These attacks have sent people fleeing for safety.?

Concerns grow for civilians and families as a larger humanitarian crisis could unfold.

Organizations around the world are on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries to help those in need with shelter, food, water, and additional aid.?

You can find out how to help?here.

The United Kingdom is banning civilian Russian aircraft from its airspace.

Russian airline Aeroflot currently operates direct flights between Moscow and London-Heathrow and Gatwick, according to its website.?

The bulletin also bans Russian aircraft from the airspace above the United Kingdom’s territorial sea. The restriction goes into effect at 7 p.m. EST and is set to expire on May 23.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel announced visa concessions for Ukrainian citizens in the UK on Thursday.?

“I have immediately ordered changes to our visa policy to provide certainty to our Ukrainian friends and colleagues living, working and studying in the UK,” she added.

According to the statement, changes announced for Ukrainian nationals in the UK include:?

These concessions are available for people with valid visas in the UK.

All visa routes remain under constant review and any changes to the visa policy will not compromise border security.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said it would “temporarily evacuate” all its international mission members from Ukraine as soon as possible, according to?statement?from Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid published Thursday.

Schmid said the decision to withdraw OSCE staff from Ukraine was “due to the ongoing fighting and deteriorated security situation” in the country and “will be conducted as early as possible and feasible dependent on the relevant factors on the ground.”

A spokesperson for the secretariat confirmed to CNN that members of the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) would be among the evacuees.

“We have a legacy to be proud of in the country. We look forward to resuming our missions when circumstances permit,” it added.

The secretary general said the decision “was not taken lightly and the relocation is meant to be temporary.”?

“The safety of the dedicated women and men who serve as impartial eyes and ears of the international community on the ground throughout the country is imperative,” her statement concluded.

As of Thursday evening Moscow time, at least 850 people have already been detained in at least 44 cities across Russia, independent monitoring group OVD-Info reported.?

Russia bars?demonstrations without a permit, but Russians may stage individual, single-person protests.

Authorities on Thursday warned citizens that participating in anti-war?protests?could lead to prosecution and criminal charges.

Watch Nic Robertson’s report from the scene of some arrests:

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/1d4105c1-c557-4a44-8b32-8e82845767cd.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/1d4105c1-c557-4a44-8b32-8e82845767cd.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T18:17:19.473Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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02:35 - Source: CNN

Russian troops have seized the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,?the State Agency of Ukraine on Exclusion Zone Management spokesperson, Yevgeniya Kuznetsovа, tells CNN.

“When I came to the office today in the morning [in Kyiv], it turned out, that the [Chernobyl nuclear power plant] management had left. So there was no one to give instructions or defend,” she said.

Earlier today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had tweeted that Russian forces were attempting to seize control of the?Chernobyl?Nuclear Power Plant. The Ukrainian National Guard was working to protect the nuclear plant from attack, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said.

CNN’s Anastasia Graham-Yooll in London and Gul Tuysuz?contributed reporting to this post.

The United Kingdom is set to sanction 100 people and entities as part of further sanctions against Russia, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Thursday afternoon.

In a speech to the UK parliament, the prime minister said the UK is announcing the?“largest and most severe package of sanctions that Russia has ever seen.”??

An asset freeze will be imposed on Russian state bank VTB, Johnson said, following the sanctioning of five Russian banks on Tuesday.

Russian state and private companies will also be prevented from “raising funds in the UK, banning dealing with their securities and making loans to them.”

A hundred people and entities will have their assets frozen, Johnson said, adding that this includes “all the major manufacturers that support Putin’s war machine.”

“Sanctions will also be applied to Belarus for its role in the assault on Ukraine,” Johnson added.

As far as international finance is concerned, Johnson said “nothing is off the table” when it comes to shutting off?Russia’s access to SWIFT, the high-security payment network.

The UK is also hoping to bring in legislation “early next week” to?ban the export of all dual use items to Russia,?Johnson said, including?a “range of high end and critical technological equipment and components in sectors including electronics, telecommunications, and aerospace.”

Johnson stressed that these sanctions will “constrain Russia’s military, industrial and technological capabilities for years to come.”

The UK will also ban Russia’s national carrier, Aeroflot, and?bring?forward measures on unexplained wealth orders from the Common Crime Bill, Johnson said.

A new dedicated kleptocracy cell in the UK’s National Crime Agency will be established “to target sanctions, evasion and corrupt Russian assets hidden in the UK,” Johnson continued.

The UK will carry out a “steadfast mission” to ensure that Putin’s “squalid adventure” fails, Johnson stressed.?

Johnson said it is now clear that the?Russian president was “always determined to attack his neighbor no matter what we did.”?

“Now we see him for what he is, a blood-stained aggressor,” Johnson remarked.?

Trains carrying vulnerable children evacuated from eastern Ukraine will arrive in the Lviv region on Friday, a spokesperson for the Lviv State Regional Administration told CNN.

A train from the Luhansk oblast region will carry 41 children age 4 and under, many of them orphans.

Another train is on its way from?Donetsk?oblast carrying 106 children, and a third is carrying 18 children with disabilities and special needs from Lysychansk in the Luhansk oblast.

In a Twitter message, US President Joe Biden says he agreed with fellow G7 leaders “to move forward on devastating packages of sanctions and other economic measures to hold Russia to account.”

“We stand with the brave people of Ukraine,” he added.

Biden met with the leaders earlier today and is set to speak at 1:30 p.m. ET from the White House on the situation unfolding in Ukraine.

He attached a photo from the Situation Room of the meeting.

See the President’s tweet:

Russian riot police are urging protesters to leave Pushkinskaya Square in Moscow, saying over loudspeakers that the “[protest] action is unauthorized.”

CNN’s Nic Robertson and team on the ground have witnessed people being detained by police. Some are carrying signs with messages, including multiple signs saying “no to war.”?

Russian authorities on Thursday warned citizens that participating in anti-war protests could lead to prosecution and criminal charges.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova speaks to the press from the Ukranian Embassy in Washington, DC, on February 24.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova said Thursday that “all Ukrainians” will fight to protect their country in the face of a Russian invasion.

“The combat spirit of Ukrainian military is high,” Markarova said at a press conference in Washington, DC.

Markarova expressed thanks to US President Joe Biden “for the immediate statement which came minutes after (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s decision to go on this offensive,” as well as other allies “who issued statements in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“We value all the support. We hear all the support. It’s very important for us,” she said. “But it’s also time to act. And we call on the international community to act immediately.”

Asked by CNN whether she believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would have been deterred if the US had imposed stronger sanctions earlier, Markarova said, “we are where we are … so?let’s focus on the sanctions that the United States and other countries will impose right now.”

“This is what matters,” she said. “The actual deeds that we all together will do now is what matters.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin 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 remarks aired Thursday on state television, Putin said:

US and Western leaders have pledged harsh sanctions, with?Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urging the West to ban Russia from?the?SWIFT international payments system. Putin noted that?Russia remained part of the global economic system, but warned of further “restrictions” to the Russian economy and called for business to work “in solidarity” with the government.

“It seems to me that our partners should understand this and not set themselves the task of pushing us out of this system,” Putin said. “Nevertheless, for political reasons, these restrictions will happen.”

US President Joe Biden is set to announce further sanctions on Russia in the next hour.

US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday it is “a little early” to predict what impact?Russia’s attack on Ukraine?will have on the agricultural industry and food prices for American consumers.?

“I think it’s a little early to make projections and to hypothesize about circumstances,” he said.

He later noted that while it’s still “too early” to predict the impact on Europe, “I don’t foresee a circumstance where American consumers on the food side are necessarily going to … see the kind of impact and effect” that European consumers might experience.

His comments comes as?concerns have grown?about what a Russian invasion of Ukraine could mean for agricultural products worldwide.

Russia is the world’s top exporter of wheat, and Ukraine is also a significant exporter of both wheat and corn.

Vilsack said Thursday “it will take some time” for the potential impact on various agricultural products to be felt and urged companies not to take “unfair advantage” of the situation.

“I sincerely hope that no company out there — whether it’s fertilizer or any other supply that may be impacted by this — will take unfair advantage of this circumstance and situation,” Vilsack said.??

Vilsack further pledged to “do everything we possibly can to provide the level of assistance and help that will enable folks who may be negatively impacted by this to be able to get through as best as possible.”

Follow live coverage of how global markets are reacting to the attack here.

Russia’s main MOEX index ended Thursday’s session 33% lower following Russia’s military action in Ukraine. It crashed as much as 45% earlier today.

Big Russian energy companies and banks were hit the hardest amid expectations the West would announce tougher sanctions. Gazprom plunged 38% and Rosneft fell 40%, while banks VTB and Sberbank also dropped more than 40%.

The Russian ruble remains at record lows, down 7% against the US dollar.

You can follow live coverage of how global markets are reacting here.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that Russian forces are attempting to seize control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl [Nuclear Power Plant]. Our defenders are sacrificing their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated,” Zelensky tweeted.?

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry echoed Zelensky’s warning, tweeting that a Russian attack on Ukraine could “cause another ecological disaster.”

“In 1986, the world saw the biggest technological disaster in Chernobyl,” the ministry tweeted. “If Russia continues the war, Chernobyl can happen again in 2022.”

Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, echoed Zelensky’s earlier remarks that Russian forces had attempted to seize control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, adding that the Ukrainian National Guard is working to protect the nuclear plant from attack.

“They made an attempt to seize the Chernobyl nuclear power station, and the fight is going right there with the Ukrainian National Guard protecting the Chernobyl station from the attack,” Markarova said during a press briefing.?

“For the first time since the Chernobyl nuclear disaster — after which Ukraine has been protecting, together with our European and American friends and allies, the world from another nuclear disaster — we have to defend it again from the Russian forces,” she added.?

The European Union wants to “hit” the Moscow leadership with its package of further sanctions regardless of whether SWIFT is included, according to a senior EU diplomat.?

Earlier on Thursday, CNN reported that the bloc was undecided as to whether to cut Russia off from SWIFT, a high-security payment network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world.

The diplomat told journalists in a briefing that the combination of Tuesday’s package alongside the fresh package due to come into effect from Friday, will be “really concentrated to hit the leadership in Moscow and those around Mr. Putin and profiting from this war.”

EU leaders are expected to discuss these sanctions during an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday evening.?

The diplomat told CNN that they expected “leaders to focus on sharing their thoughts and political positions on the big things and not on discussing in details certain measures.”

The diplomat stressed that SWIFT is “on the table” and will still be considered regardless of whether it’s included in the new package.??

“The first priority is now this very maximalist EU sanction package,” they said.?

SWIFT may be needed “for things which are very relevant for some EU member states,” the diplomat said, adding that it doesn’t necessarily “mean it’s excluded.”

Earlier today, the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania called for Russia to be cut off from SWIFT.

The diplomat stressed the need to keep “some doors open” enabling the dialogue required “to stop a war.”

Despite being asked several times, the diplomat did not address why Russian President Vladimir Putin is not being directly targeted by the sanctions.

EU member states that are “closest to Ukraine” also deserve empathy, the diplomat said, remarking that they are “now faced, in the 21st century, with something we thought we had left behind in the previous century.”

Police officers inspect the remains of a shell that landed in Kyiv on February 24.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs says it has reported 392 instances of shelling by Russian forces in Ukraine, a spokesperson for the ministry said Thursday.?

“Our fighters of Ukraine’s military forces and National Guard, our Border Force, our reservists continue to defend our country. Victory will be ours,” the spokesperson added.

In the hours after Russia began invading Ukraine, the scenes in Moscow were subdued. People who spoke to CNN about the conflict seemed surprised and concerned, as many of them had just started tuning in.

Russia’s massive propaganda machine has not given the crisis between Kyiv and the Kremlin the same sort of billing as has the international media. State television, the main source of information for older Russians, has been echoing the message of Vladimir Putin. The Russian President has framed the conflict as a mission to protect Russian speakers in the Donbas region from genocide — an accusation the Russian president has repeatedly leveled without proof. Russian state media is also parroting the Kremlin’s other unsubstantiated claims — that the Ukrainian government is attempting to obtain nuclear weapons and “nazify” the country, despite the fact that Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish.

News reports have also, for the most part, failed to mention the Russian military’s decision to strike targets in places far from east Ukraine, like the capital of Kyiv and the southern port city of Odessa.

That doesn’t mean all Russians are being spoon-fed Putin’s narrative. Russia is not North Korea. People who want to get independent information from foreign-language media outlets can do so.

So far, there has not been the surge of patriotic fervor that accompanied Russia’s largely bloodless annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. There are likely many Russians who would prefer to see Putin tackle Russia’s economic problems at home.

But gauging public opinion in Russia — especially opposition to the Kremlin — has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Putin has increasingly cracked down on?independent media,?hollowed out its civil society?and all but banished peaceful dissent.?Even tweeting about planned protests can potentially land someone in jail.?

If would-be protesters weren’t already spooked, Russian authorities on Thursday warned citizens that participating in anti-war protests could lead to prosecution and criminal charges.

The airspace over Ukraine and its border with Russia is empty, according to flight-tracking websites, with heavy air traffic apparently avoiding the region as evening sets in on the region Thursday.

Images from ADS-B Exchange show no aircraft over Ukraine, though the open-source site cannot display tracking data from aircraft operating in the area with the location broadcasting intentionally switched off.

Civilian flights over Ukraine, as well as Moldova to the south and parts of Russia, are currently restricted.?

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency warned Thursday that?“the presence and possible use of a wide range of ground and airborne warfare systems poses a HIGH risk for civil flights operating at all altitudes and flight levels.”

There are risks to flying over conflict zones – as illustrated by the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine by a missile, killing 298 people.?Western officials and a Dutch-led investigation said Russian President?Vladimir Putin bears responsibility for the incident;?Putin has denied it.??

A woman walks past debris in Mariupol, Ukraine, on February 24.

The world has not seen a “move like this, nation state-to-nation state, since World War II,” a senior US defense official told reporters Thursday about Russia’s attack on Ukraine — “certainly nothing on this size and scope and scale.”

The official warned that if this conflict “unfolds the way that hereto we have come to believe it will,” it has “every potential to be very bloody, very costly and very impactful on European security writ large.”

“This is 100% a war of choice that [Russian President] Putin has decided to wage for reasons that are not justified,” the official added.?

The Brazilian Foreign Relations Ministry released a short statement Thursday, calling for the “immediate suspension of hostilities and the beginning of negotiations” after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.?

“Brazil calls for the immediate suspension of hostilities and the start of negotiations leading to a diplomatic solution to the issue, based on the Minsk Accords and that takes into account the legitimate security interests of all parties involved and the protection of the civilian population,” the Brazilian diplomacy statement said.?

Notably, the statement doesn’t call Russian moves on Ukrainian territory an “invasion.”?

President Jair Bolsonaro, who met Russia’s President Vladimir Putin last week and expressed “solidarity” to Russia, has not made a public statement today.?

Brazilian government’s position on Russia and Ukraine doesn’t seem unanimous. Talking to the press on Thursday morning, Brazil’s Vice President Hamilton Mour?o condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and asked for actions beyond economic sanctions on Putin’s government.

“The Western world is the same (place) as it was in 1938 with Hitler, on the basis of appeasement, and Putin did not respect the appeasement. That’s the truth,” Mour?o said. “In my view, mere economic sanctions — which is an intermediate form of sanction — do not work.”

He also said significant action is needed by allies to provide the Ukrainians military support.

“The use of force is needed, a support for Ukraine, more than what is being put on. That’s my view. If the Western world just let Ukraine falls, Bulgaria will be next, then the Baltic States, and so on. Just as Hitler’s Germany did in the 1930s,” he said.?

Mour?o says Brazil supports Ukraine.

“Brazil is not neutral. Brazil has made it very clear that it respects Ukraine’s sovereignty. So Brazil does not agree with an invasion of Ukrainian territory.”

In a joint statement following a virtual meeting Thursday, the leaders of the G7 said Russian President Vladimir Putin has “re-introduced war to the European continent.”

“He has put himself on the wrong side of history,” the leaders wrote.

The G7 meeting concluded after just over an hour, according to a White House official, running?9:17 a.m. to 10:27 a.m. ET.

Meeting participants, according to the White House, were President Biden, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Mario Draghi of Italy, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Council Charles Michel and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko speaks to the media at the Ukrainian Embassy in London on February 24.

Ukraine currently does not have enough military equipment to defend itself, the country’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Vadym Prystaiko, said Thursday.

“At this particular moment, we have enough people; we don’t have enough equipment,” Prystaiko said when asked if Ukraine’s forces on the ground are capable of repelling Russia’s attack.

While speaking to reporters at the Ukrainian Embassy in London, he added that Ukraine has been open about needing military equipment, plus financial and humanitarian support from other countries.?

European Union leaders are expected to announce a package of humanitarian support for Ukraine later on Thursday as well as sanctions against Russia.

Some areas are difficult to defend, he conceded, with Russia blocking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

This is limiting Ukraine’s capabilities of bringing in reinforcements and supplies, he said, adding that humanitarian supplies will be needed “quite soon, quite critically” with the Russians “targeting critical infrastructure.”

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Thursday said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have “far-reaching consequences and cannot go unpunished.”?

In a nationally-televised address in Madrid, he called on Russian President Vladimir Putin “to put an immediate end to the hostilities and revoke” Russia’s recognition of territories in Ukraine.?

Sánchez said the “European Union and the rest of the allies of the union had already approved a first package of measures” against Russia and that the EU’s Council is to meet later Thursday “to define its answer to this flagrant violation of international law.”?

He called for a coordinated and unified European response and said sanctions against Russia would be the most effective approach.

The G7 meeting has concluded after just more than an hour, according to a White House official. It ran from?9:17 a.m. ET to 10:27 a.m. ET.

Meeting participants, according to the White House, were:

Russia has surrounded Ukraine from three sides, and Ukrainian locations are receiving missiles fired from land and sea, according to a senior US defense official.

These are the areas impacted:

Ukraine locations where attacks and explosions have been reported

More US military assets will arrive in Eastern European countries later today, a senior defense official told reporters on Thursday.

Six F-35s will arrive in Estonia, Lithuania and Romania today — two to each country — the official said.?

The group of attack helicopters “are on their way,” the official said, but noted there’s been “some weather issues” to get them to their locations.?“We still expect those Apaches to get on site later today,” the official said.

On Tuesday, President Biden announced more US military assets would be deployed to NATO allies in Eastern Europe.??

That announcement included the movement of up to eight F-35 strike fighters from Germany to other Eastern European nations along NATO’s eastern flank, 20 AH-64 helicopters from Germany to the Baltic region and 12 AH-64 helicopters moved from Greece to Poland, a senior defense official said Tuesday.

“US troops remain outside of Ukraine,” the official added.?

All of the about 1,500 United Nations staff members in Ukraine are safe and accounted for, according to a UN spokesperson.

“We are relocating some personnel and have instructed staff to take necessary precautions,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary general, said Thursday.

A core group of mission-critical staff, he said, remain working “in the areas around the line of contact.”

A Security Council resolution regarding the Russian attack on Ukraine is privately being discussed among United Nations Security Council member states, according to two UN diplomats.

UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador James Kariuki said that while member states were in discussion privately, timing of a formal discussion was unclear.?

It is unclear what is in the proposed resolution; however, depending on the language, Russia is primed to veto.??

The UK ambassador also echoed UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that robust sanctions that have a punishing effect on the Russian economy will be announced.?

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/98097625-ee58-42b4-a149-f3ce1001a987.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/98097625-ee58-42b4-a149-f3ce1001a987.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T16:59:34.079Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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03:22 - Source: CNN

A woman taking shelter in a subway station in Kharkiv, Ukraine, told CNN that her world changed overnight as Russia attacked her country.

“You wake up at 5 a.m. to a totally new reality, and you find out the?world is no longer the safe?place you imagined,” she told CNN’s Clarissa Ward. ?

“And it’s hard to believe it’s?actually our neighbor doing this, because?we never really believed that our?neighbor can just come and just grab our land and?tell us what to do.?We [are an] independent country of Ukraine, and … we?don’t want to be a part of?Russia or any other country,” she said.

“I?cannot believe it’s happening really,” she said, getting visibly emotional.?“I just hope that some people in?Russia … stand against Putin.”

She said she is with her parents, but some family members are in Canada and are worried about them.

Destruction is seen at a Ukrainian military facility outside Mariupol, Ukraine, on February 24.

The attacks on Ukraine that the world has witnessed overnight are part of an “initial phase” of a Russian invasion into the country, a senior defense official said Thursday.?

“They’re making a move on Kyiv,” the official said.

The attack, which began with missiles being launched at Ukraine around 9:30 p.m. ET last night, includes “three main axes of assault,” the official said.

There is one assault from the south to the north “basically from Crimea to a city named Kherson,” there’s another assault from north central Ukraine to the south “from Belarus to Kyiv,” and there’s a third assault “just to the northwest of Kyiv and just to the northeast of Kyiv,” from Belarus toward Kyiv, the official said.

“We still believe it’s our assessment, that they have every intention of basically decapitating the government and installing their own method of governance, which would explain these early moves towards Kyiv,” the official added.

Russian attacks on Ukraine that began at 9:30 p.m. ET last night have included “roughly more than 100 Russian-launched missiles of various types” in the “initial onslaught,” a senior US defense official said on Thursday.

The missiles included “short-range ballistic missiles” as the primary weapon, but the number also included “medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-air missiles,” and “sea-launched missiles from the Black Sea,” the official said.

At least 75 fixed-wing heavy and medium bombers were part of the initial attack on Ukraine, the official said.

Russia initiated “some ground incursions” into Ukraine from Belarus, northwest of Kyiv, the official added.

So far, Russian targets in Ukraine have included “military and air defense” targets, meaning “barracks, ammunition warehouses, nearly ten airfields,” the official said.

CNN has verified and geolocated footage circulating on social media of an explosion at Melitopol Air Base in south eastern Ukraine.

Videos began circulating at midday local time and show a large plume of smoke by the airport, followed by a loud bang that shakes the camera.

The cause of the explosion is unclear at this stage.

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/839fc64f-cd05-4704-8bd9-09e28e8fd7bb.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/839fc64f-cd05-4704-8bd9-09e28e8fd7bb.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T15:41:29.205Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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00:53 - Source: CNN

The United States plans to continue its recent pattern of selectively revealing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plans as they learn them, officials said Thursday, even though it’s now clear the strategy could not prevent an invasion of Ukraine.

Much of what Biden administration officials said would happen in Ukraine has come to pass, starting with various false pretexts for invasion in the pro-Russian regions, crisis talks among Putin’s national security team,?subsequent cyber-attacks and eventually?missile attacks on Kyiv.

That is nearly exactly what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned would happen when he spoke last week at the United Nations.

US officials had hoped that by revealing Putin’s plans, they could cause him to second guess himself or at least remove the element of surprise. By warning the world of “false flag” operations, the US hoped to deny Putin of an accepted rationale for going to war.

Now, officials say they expect to continue using the method, not necessarily to deter Putin — which hasn’t proved successful — but to counter Russian claims about events on the ground. That could include rebutting Russian claims about atrocities or seeking to expose some of Putin’s plans ahead of time.

On Wednesday, ahead of Russia’s attack beginning, the White House said their strategy had been successful because it put Putin on the back foot.

“Our assessment is that President Putin did not expect the United States to have the level of information that we have, did not expect us to put out this amount of information that we have put out, did not expect the global community to be as unified, including in how unified the global community was in putting out the sanctions yesterday,” press secretary Jen Psaki said. “Our assessment is that he is improvising, adapting, and we’re having to respond and adapt his own actions as we are responding to him.”

Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko has announced a curfew in the Ukrainian capital from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. local time, according to a statement shared on his official Facebook page.?

“Public transport will not work during curfew. At the same time, metro stations will be available as shelters 24/7,” Klitschko wrote.?

“We ask all Kyivites to return home on time. If you need to move around the city during the curfew, in particular, as employees of critical infrastructure companies, you must have identification documents,” he added.?

At Ukraine’s western border, the situation at checkpoints remains stable, though there is an increase in traffic, according to a new statement from Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.?

The statement also said:

“On the territory of Ukraine, all services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in martial law ensure law and order, provide assistance to injured, eliminate destruction and fires,” it added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky introduced martial law as Russia launched a large-scale military invasion on the country.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is ready to assist in humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and is asking neighboring counties to keep borders open to those who are seeking safety, the organization said in a series of tweets on Thursday.?

“We’re gravely concerned about the fast-deteriorating situation and ongoing military actions in Ukraine. We have seen reports of casualties, and people starting to flee to seek safety. Civilian lives and civilian infrastructure must be protected and safeguarded at all times,” the UNHCR tweeted on Thursday.?

“UNHCR is also working with governments in neighbouring countries, calling to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection. We stand ready to support efforts by all to respond to any situation of forced displacement,” the agency stated.?

CNN’s Clarissa Ward spoke with a mother and her two young children as they took shelter in a subway station in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

She said they woke up around 5 a.m. local time when they heard explosions.

Her 9-year-old son said he was “so-so” when asked if he was scared.

She told Ward she thinks they will stay in the station tonight. They only have snacks and water.

She said she never thought they would be in this situation.

“We try to be brave, because we?have children and we don’t want?to show them that we are scared,” she said.

Ukrainian authorities say seven people have been killed and 17 wounded in a missile attack on a military area northeast of the capital of Kyiv.

The mayor of the city of Brovary, Ihor Sapozhko, said the attack occurred at 2:30 p.m. local time. Brovary has a Ukrainian Special Forces base.

It was one of several Russian strikes close to Kyiv on Thursday.

Christine Lambrecht (SPD), Federal Minister of Defense, speaks to media representatives after the special session of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag, Berlin, Germany on February 24.

Germany is ready to extend and expand its support of NATO’s air policing mission in Romania and also to comply with further requests from the alliance, the German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht announced Thursday.

“I have given (an) order to expand and extend our engagement?in the air policing in Romania,” Lambrecht told reporters after briefing Germany’s parliament defense committee.

Lambrecht added that Germany was also prepared to comply with further NATO requests.

Earlier today, he said in a statement, ”Russia’s attack on Ukraine is a drastic breach of international law,” adding, ” Putin alone is responsible for the terrible suffering that is associated with it.”

Earlier this month, Germany sent three combat aircraft to participate in the NATO mission to protect Romanian airspace. Germany also recently deployed 350 more troops to Lithuania as part of its NATO engagement in addition to its?550 troops which are part of the German-led NATO combat unit.

US President Joe Biden will address the nation with an update on Ukraine at 12:30 p.m. ET, the White House announced in an update to its schedule.

Biden, the White House said, “will deliver remarks on Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine.”

Biden is expected to unveil new measures that could cut off Russia from advanced technology, announce new restrictions on large financial institutions and slap sanctions on additional members of the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The planned sanctions, the latest US reprisals against Moscow this week, had been reserved as Biden hoped to maintain some leverage in dissuading Putin from a full-scale invasion.?

CNN’s Kevin Liptak contributed reporting to this post.

As locations across Ukraine come under Russian military assault, here’s a look at the locations of Russian troops:

Russia has surrounded Ukraine from three sides

The G7 Leaders’ meeting started at 9:17 a.m.?ET, a White House official says.?

A number of national security officials arrived at the White House?this morning?ahead of Biden’s participation in the virtual meeting.

Smoke rises from an air defense base in Mariupol, Ukraine, on February 24.

After a speech from Russian President Vladimir Putin announcing a military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, Russia launched a large-scale invasion on Ukraine at about 5 a.m. local time.?

What happened overnight

CNN teams heard explosions in and near multiple Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, the second-largest city Kharkiv, Odessa, and distant firing from Zaporizhzhia. Images released by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office showed large explosions to the east of the capital Kyiv with huge columns of smoke rising into the air.

Ukrainian officials said more than 40 soldiers and as many as 10 civilians had been killed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began shortly before dawn.

Response

Zelensky moved to enact martial law in his country.

The European Union, United States, United Kingdom and a slew of other countries have condemned the attacks, promising to impose more sanctions on Russia.

US President Joe Biden is expected to spell out a raft of sanctions later Thursday in an address.?

The Russian military released a statement Thursday claiming it was not targeting Ukrainian cities, saying “the civilian population is not at risk.”

On the ground

CNN reporters on the ground have witnessed rockets appearing to be launched from Russia to Ukraine, military vehicles headed to the country and families crowded in a subway station for shelter.

Russian airborne troops have taken control of the Antonov Airport, which is about 25 miles away from the center of Kyiv, Ukraine, according to CNN’s Matthew Chance.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed that one Russian?helicopter?and three other unknown helicopters were downed in the Kyiv region.

In Kyiv and Lviv, air raid sirens have been sounded.

CNN teams across Ukraine and Russia contributed to this report.

Many Ukrainian locations have been impacted by Russia with a series of missile?attacks?against locations near the capital Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery.

More than 80 strikes have been carried out against Ukrainian targets, according to latest UK intelligence.

The UK Ministry of Defense provided an intelligence update?via?Twitter on Thursday, condemning Russia’s further violation of “Ukrainian sovereignty.”

As Western allies work on their coordinated response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there appears to be a real possibility that the European Union might take the controversial step of cutting Russia off from SWIFT, a high-security payment network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world.

However, EU nations are split on whether to take this step or not. Senior EU sources have told CNN that there is a divide in the member states between countries like Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who want SWIFT as part of the sanctions package that will be announced later today, and the likes of Germany, Italy, Hungary and Cyprus, who have stronger economic ties to Russia and do not want SWIFT included in the new sanctions.

A senior EU diplomat said “there is a conversation happening” but believes it is “likely” the economic interests will win the argument and Brussels will not cut Russia from SWIFT.

People wait in line at a gas station in Lviv, Ukraine, on February 24.

On Thursday morning, air raid sirens sounded in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for the first time — outside of regular drills — since World War II. Like clockwork, the picturesque city transformed from a tourist hotspot to a place preparing for war.

Even as TV screens flashed warnings of an imminent attack on the country in recent days, tour groups continued to flock the city’s cobblestoned streets, where dazzling baroque-style architecture stretches for miles. Diplomatic missions and international groups fled to the relative safety of Lviv from the capital Kyiv shortly after.

But that bubble burst when Russia attacked three locations — military facilities — in the Lviv region on Thursday morning.

Most shops in the city were shuttered. Long queues extended outside the few open stores— pharmacies, supermarkets, and even pet stores. The wait is over two hours long at most petrol pumps, or gas stations, where fuel is being rationed in an attempt to prevent fuel shortages.

Svetlana Locotova lets out a hearty laugh from a long queue outside a cash machine. She’s on the?phone with her relatives in the heavily shelled eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, where many of the city’s inhabitants are taking cover in the city’s subway station.

Next to her is her 12-year-old daughter, Margarita. Speaking to CNN, but also — it would seem — to her daughter, who nervously forces a smile, she says cheerily, “It’s totally normal that this would happen. I expected this queue. This is just how people react.”

She and Margarita have just returned from a shooting range — a common pastime here lately. “We’re confident, but we’re preparing for the worst,” she says.

People here go about the day with a sense of defiance, even as the city seems transformed. “Ukraine is no stranger to war” is the common refrain. The change in mood is almost imperceptible. Many still exchange smiles and jokes, even as they speak about preparing their homes to receive relatives from the significantly harder-hit east of the country.

“Ukrainian society got used to war, not at this scale of course. But we’re used to it,” says Lviv-based Maria Toma, an official at the Mission for Russian-occupied Crimea at the Ukrainian president’s office.

“What I would like to see is [Russian President Vladimir Putin] at The Hague in court,” says Toma. “I believe he will be convicted as a war criminal.”?

An air raid warning has been issued by the Kyiv city government.

All residents are being asked to seek underground shelters. Air sirens can be heard across Kyiv.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg gives a statement on Russia's attack on Ukraine, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on February 24.

The Biden administration is considering moving?more?US forces already in Europe to countries further east due to the massive Russian firepower so close to allies, according to a US official familiar with the matter.??

NATO has given the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Tod Wolters, the authority to activate NATO defense stance,?which would include the capability to activate the NATO Response Force, according to a US official and a European diplomatic source.?

Russian authorities have told citizens not to participate in anti-war protests, the country’s Investigative Committee warned in a statement on Thursday.?

“It should be remembered that holding a criminal record holds negative consequences and leaves a mark on the person’s future,” the Investigative Committee added.

Russian airborne troops have taken control of the Antonov Airport, which is about 25 miles away from the center of Kyiv, Ukraine, CNN’s Matthew Chance reported Thursday.

The troops have an orange and black band on the arm of their uniforms to identify them as Russian forces, Chance added.

The commander of the unit told CNN there was a fire fight — presumably with the?Ukrainian military, which says it?is staging a counteroffensive to?try and take back this airport.

Chance added, “We hearing some aircraft in the air …?There is a plume of black smoke,?gray smoke, brown smoke, coming?up from inside the compound of?the air base.?I think there are jets in the?sky above us.”

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed Thursday that one Russian?helicopter?and three other unknown helicopters were downed in the Kyiv region.

CNN has verified two social media videos showing multiple explosions and?helicopters flying close to the ground in the city of Hostomel, just 25 kilometers (or about 15 miles) from Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv.??

In the videos, several bangs and sparks can be seen in the residential area while?helicopters fly close to the camera, with black smoke surrounding the sky.

CNN geolocated both pieces of footage to Hostomel. The videos appear to show the fighting the Ukrainian government has described in which it said one Russian?helicopter?was shot down, along with three other unknown helicopters.

It is unclear if the other three?helicopters are Russian or Ukrainian.?CNN is working to clarify.

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/be066303-e928-4c18-98a9-52f68f4b7ff9.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/be066303-e928-4c18-98a9-52f68f4b7ff9.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T15:30:24.158Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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01:40 - Source: CNN

Passengers arrive on a train from Odessa via Lviv in Ukraine to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, on February 24.

The United Nations refugee agency is stepping up operations and capacity in Ukraine and neighboring countries as people start to flee Ukraine, High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement Thursday.

“UNHCR is also working with governments in neighboring countries, calling on them to keep borders open to those seeking safety and protection. We stand ready to support efforts by all to respond to any situation of forced displacement,” he added.??

Families, including young children and pets, crowded into a subway station that is serving as a bomb shelter in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

“It’s just?absolutely surreal.?Yesterday, this would have been?full of commuters making their?way back and forth to work.?Today, it has become an?impromptu bomb shelter,” CNN’s chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward reported.

Ward said she and her team were outside and then heard a “series of thuds.”

“People start[ed] to pour in here … These people are frightened.?They’re confused.?They are desperately uncertain about what?they’re supposed to do, how long?they can take shelter here,?where they go from here,” she said.

One woman told Ward she grabbed necessary items with her.

She has a car, but she said she is not sure “be safe in Ukraine in any city.”

Earlier, CNN’s Fred Pleitgen witnessed rockets that appeared to be launched from the Belgorod region in Russia over the border near Kharkiv, as well as military vehicles headed toward the road leading to the city.

Watch CNN’s reporting on the ground at the subway station:

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/383b63e4-95f7-4dde-b311-59190a7c37eb.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/383b63e4-95f7-4dde-b311-59190a7c37eb.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T14:24:16.371Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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02:52 - Source: CNN

US President Joe Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council?Thursday morning?in the Situation Room to discuss the latest developments in Ukraine, a White House official said.

As CNN reported, a number of top national security officials arrived at the White House earlier?this morning. CNN observed national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA director Bill Burns, and Vice President Kamala Harris arriving at the West Wing in the?7 a.m. ET?hour.

CNN reported that Biden, vowing the world will?“hold Russia accountable”?for the?attack underway in Ukraine, will spell out a set of sanctions on Thursday once meant to deter such an assault.

Set to address the nation at 12 p.m. ET, Biden is expected to unveil new measures that could cut off Russia from advanced technology, announce new restrictions on large financial institutions and slap sanctions on additional members of the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

CNN’s Kevin Liptak contributed reporting to this post.?

While other governments are making plans to evacuate their citizens from Ukraine, Nigerian students tell CNN they have been essentially told: “You’re on your own.”?

Anjola-Oluwa Ero-Phillips said he and around 70 other Nigerian students are stranded with no way to legally leave Lviv in the west of the country, close to the border with Poland.

Abike Dabiri of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission told CNN that the country’s foreign ministry will announce evacuation plans, but gave no timeline.

Dabiri also sent updated travel advice from the Nigerian foreign ministry asking Nigerian students in Ukraine to “remain calm but be very vigilant and be responsible for their personal security and safety.”

Lviv is around 300 miles from Ukraine capital Kyiv where explosions were heard in the early hours of Thursday after Russian forces entered the country.

“There have not been explosions here but earlier in the day we heard the siren tests. Flights are cancelled and it’s hard to get any taxis or Uber,” medical student Ero-Phillips said of the situation in Lviv.?

“Everybody is at the ATM trying to withdraw cash but banks are not opening. Money is running out at the ATM and you can’t do app transactions anymore,” he added.?

People line up to withdraw money at cash machines in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on February 24.

“Based on what I have heard from the Indian citizens, their government is trying to get free transit for them to the Polish border,” Ero-Phillips said.

In an advisory Thursday, the Indian Embassy in Kyiv said arrangements were being put in place to evacuate Indian nationals and students.

“No one has any idea what to do. We have been reaching out to the Nigerian embassy since last month,” said Ero-Phillips, who is president of the Lviv arm of the Association of Nigerian students in Ukraine.

An employee inspects a bomb shelter located in the center of the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on February 21.

As parts of Ukraine come under Russian offense, tensions have traveled to the other side of the country to Lviv, located in western Ukraine, deputy Mayor Andriy Moskalenko told CNN.

CNN reported residents lined out of banks and ATMs to withdraw money and at gas stations out of concern. The city has also instructed education to move online so children and university students can stay at home, the deputy mayor told CNN.

Otherwise, services and institutions are working as usual, he said.

“Right now, the city works as usual.?We have water supply, heat supply, we have transport and banks and?other institutions at work.?We, together with state?security service, the administration,?with police, manage our work. So we have come to headquarters to?provide services for our?residents,” Moskalenko told CNN.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gives a press conference on Russia's military operation in Ukraine after talks with President of the European Council and NATO Secretary General, at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on February 24.

The European Union will “make it as difficult as possible” for the Kremlin to pursue its “aggressive actions” in Ukraine, the chief of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen warned.?

Speaking in a joint press conference with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg and European Council chief Charles Michel in Brussels, von der Leyen said the EU will “hold Russia accountable for this outrageous violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The EU chief said she had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during which he asked her for “whatever the different stakeholders can do for help.”

The EU is set to unveil a further package of “massive” and “targeted” sanctions later Thursday, she said.?

The package will include?“financial sanctions that harshly limit Russia’s access to the capital markets” and “suppress Russia’s economic growth,” she explained.?

The second pillar of this package will limit Russia’s access to “crucial technology,” von der Leyen continued, in a bid to “cut off Russia’s industry from the technologies desperately needed today to build a future.”

“Our measures will weaken Russia’s technological position in key areas, actually, from which the elite makes most of their money. And this ranges from high tech components to cutting edge software. This will also seriously degrade the Russian economy in all areas in the future,” she said.

The Kremlin is aware that European unity “is our best strength,” she said, adding that this is “why they have tried their best to divide us.”?

“They have achieved the exact opposite. We are more united and more determined than ever,” she concluded.?

Ukrainian servicemen load a truck with the FGM-148 Javelin American man-portable anti-tank missile, provided by the US to Ukraine as part of a military support package, upon its delivery at Kyiv's Boryspil airport, Ukraine, on February 11.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told CNN that a?“full-fledged large-scale war has begun in Europe.”

Podolyak said that Russian forces went on the offensive against the country from the north, east and south. “Our army repulses attacks, the enemy suffers significant losses,” he added.

“The main thing now is to focus as much as possible on defending the country and preserving people’s normal lives,” Podolyak said.

“But Ukraine needs more support from the world and is very specific – military-technical and financial support, tough sanctions against Russia. The West must act today.”

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko says he expects to discuss the possible deployment of Iskander and S-400 defense systems to Belarus with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the coming days.

“[Thursday or Friday] we will talk with the President of Russia about how to strengthen ourselves here in the western direction,” Lukashenko told state news agency Belta Thursday.?

“Today we consulted with the military, and we see that it would be desirable to put Iskanders [missile systems] there and place a battalion or two with S-400s somewhere so that we can actually monitor the situation all the way to Berlin,” Lukashenko said.

“Now the most powerful deterrent would be equipment: Iskanders and S-400 Triumphs. We can manage without them, but it would be nice. Then they would hardly go here,” Lukashenko added.

Belarus and Russia have close military ties, and Russian troops recently deployed to Belarus for extensive military drills. On Thursday, CNN witnessed – through a livestream video – troops atop a column of military vehicles entering Ukraine from a border crossing with Belarus.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Russian’s aggression against Ukraine constituted “the most serious attack on peace, on stability in Europe for decades,” in a national address Thursday.

Unusually, Macron spoke in front of the flag of Ukraine, as well as the flags of the France and the European Union.

He began the address by saluting the courage and determination of the Ukrainian people. “Their liberty is our own,” he said.?

“These events are a turning point in the history of Europe and our country. They will have lasting and far-reaching consequences on our lives, on the geopolitics of our continent.”

“The sanctions imposed on Russia will be commensurate with the aggression of which it is guilty,” Macron said, adding that, “we will be without weakness.”

He said that European sanctions will target Russia’s military, economy and energy sectors.

He said that he will speak before the French parliament tomorrow with further information on France’s response.

A TV grab of Prime Minister?Boris?Johnson?making a speech from Downing Street, London, in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Britain and its allies will slap a “massive package of economic sanctions” on Moscow for invading Ukraine, “designed in time to hobble the Russian economy,” the UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged in a televised address Thursday.???

Calling Vladimir Putin a “dictator,” Johnson condemned the Russian president for unleashing war on European continent.

Britain is joined in outrage by “friends and allies around the world,”?he said, adding that the UK will work with them to “ensure that the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine is restored.”?

He called the invasion an “act of wanton and reckless aggression,” and said it “not just on Ukraine” but on “democracy and freedom in east Europe and around the world.”

Johnson said he has spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to offer his continued support and said that new sanctions would be agreed on Thursday.?

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine are among the objectives of Russia’s military action in the country, which he described as a “special operation.”

“Ideally, Ukraine should be liberated, cleansed of Nazis, of pro-Nazi people and ideology,” Peskov said, though he refused to say if that meant regime change in Kyiv.?

This Russian claim of a need to “denazify” Ukraine is one Putin has touted repeatedly over the years and is entirely baseless.

Peskov also said the operation would end only when its objectives had been reached.?

Putin announced his decision to “conduct a special military operation” in a surprise address overnight. During that speech, he said it was “to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years,” restating a groundless claim about Ukraine’s Russian-separatist-backed Donbas region.

The invasion began shortly after with a series of missile attacks against locations near Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery against the northeastern city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

CNN’s Fred Pleitgen is on the ground at the Ukraine-Russia border in the Belgorod region and reports more artillery rockets that appear to be fired from Russian territory into Ukraine.

“That’s another salvo of what we believe is multiple artillery rocket launchers that have been going off here,” Pleitgen said.

He is reporting from the last checkpoint before the frontline, on the Russian side, in the south of a town called Belgorod.

Watch the artillery rocket fired here:

- Source: CNN " data-fave-thumbnails="{"big": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/dd6b64e7-9363-4ebf-ac78-32e02aea2197.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" }, "small": { "uri": "https://media.cnn.com/api/v1/images/stellar/prod/dd6b64e7-9363-4ebf-ac78-32e02aea2197.png?c=16x9&q=h_540,w_960,c_fill" } }" data-vr-video="false" data-show-html="" data-byline-html="" data-timestamp-html="" data-check-event-based-preview="" data-is-vertical-video-embed="" data-network-id="" data-publish-date="2022-02-24T12:37:56.906Z" data-video-section="" data-canonical-url="" data-branding-key="" data-video-slug="" data-first-publish-slug="" data-video-tags="" data-details="">

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03:40 - Source: CNN

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives to deliver a statement following a meeting of the security cabinet of the German government on February 24, in Berlin, Germany.

International condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been swift and sharp, with several leaders also promising a new, harsher wave of sanctions on Moscow in the coming hours.

German chancellor Olaf Scholz criticized Russia’s military operation “in the strongest possible terms,” calling it a “reckless act by President Putin,” a “terrible day for Ukraine and a dark day for Europe.”

The European Union said: “We demand President Putin to cease Russian military operations immediately and unconditionally withdraw all forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.”

It added that Russia “bears full responsibility for this act of aggression and all the destruction and loss of life it will cause.”

And French President Emmanuel Macron, who had emerged as a key broker in Europe’s attempts to avert an invasion, wrote: “France stands in solidarity with Ukraine. It stands with Ukrainians and is working with its partners and allies to end the war.”

Elsewhere, Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said the country would provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine if needed, adding: “Israel has long experience in wars, and war is not the way to resolve conflicts.”

And in Taiwan, which has been closely watching events in Europe given the claims of China’s Communist Party that the island is its territory, foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou was quick to condemn Putin’s move.

“Ukrainian cities like Kyiv has been attacked by gunfire, leading to fears of a full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine,” she said. “We call on all sides to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose the use of violence or coercion to change the status quo.”

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06:07 - Source: CNN

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said Thursday that three Russian helicopters were shot down in the Kyiv region.?

“One Russian helicopter K-52 and three helicopters near Gostomel were shot down in the Kyiv region, near Mezhyhirya,” the ministry said in a statement published on its website.?

Earlier Thursday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces?said six Russian planes had been shot down as forces attacked Ukraine. Russian military denied the claims, state news agency TASS reported.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech as he receives the delegation of the International Union of Democrats in Ankara, Turkey, on February 24.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected Russia’s military action on Ukraine, calling it “unacceptable” in a televised speech on Thursday.?

Erdogan said he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier, and he reiterated support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

“We sincerely regret that Russia and Ukraine, that we see both as friendly countries and that we have close political and social relations, have come face to face in this way,” he added.?

“We will do our part to ensure the safety of everyone living in Ukraine, especially our own citizens and Tatar brothers in the region,” he added.?

Erdogan spoke to Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Wednesday, where he expressed his rejection to the Russian president’s steps against Ukraine’s sovereignty.

German Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser attends a security cabinet meeting on February 24 in Berlin, Germany.

Germany has pledged support to its neighbors, including Poland, in the event of an influx of people after Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

“We are following very closely whether there will be an influx of refugees to our neighboring countries,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in a statement.

Germany “will provide massive help to the affected states – especially our neighbor Poland – should there be a large-scale influx,” and remains in close contact with Poland and the EU Commission, she said.

EU coordination and support mechanisms, particularly for humanitarian aid, had already been launched so that ”very concrete support for Ukraine’s neighboring states can be provided very quickly,” the statement adds.

Germany’s interior minister also said that the country’s security authorities ramped up protective measures to counter any cyberattacks.

CNN teams have witnessed a crush of traffic heading west out of the capital Kyiv in the hours after Russia’s attack on Ukraine began.

“You can see it’s almost a constant stream of traffic – the residents of this country moving out, towards the west, the opposite direction of Russia. It is an absolutely chaotic scene on the road,” CNN’s Matthew Chance reported on Thursday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson records an address at Downing Street after he chaired an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the UK response to the crisis in Ukraine on February 24, in London, England.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying in a televised address that Vladimir Putin has “attacked a friendly country without any provocation, and without any credible excuse.”

“Our worst fears have now come true, and all our warnings have proved tragically accurate,” Johnson said.

He also called for Europe to end its dependence on Russian oil and gas.

But Johnson did not set out details of the UK’s response, saying only that he was working with allies on a “massive package of economic sanctions” designed to “hobble the Russian economy.”

On Tuesday, after Putin first ordered troops into two breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine, Johnson announced sanctions on five Russian banks and three individuals – measures that were criticized in some corners for not going far enough.

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04:09 - Source: CNN

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson?Hua?Chunying?attends a news conference in Beijing, China, on February 24.

China?has refused to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine Thursday, instead repeating calls for parties to “exercise restraint”?and accusing the United States of “fueling fire” in the tensions.

In a Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefing that went on for more than 90 minutes, spokesperson and Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying?dodged more than 11 questions regarding Russia’s actions in Ukraine. They included repeated inquiries on whether?Beijing?would consider Russia’s acts an invasion and whether they violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.?

Hua added that China would begin importing Russian wheat, a move that could ease the impact of Western sanctions on Russia.?

“The Ukraine issue has a very complicated historical background. It has evolved to the present situation due to the joint action of various factors … security should be a matter of joint cooperation and sustainable security, and the legitimate security concerns of all parties should be respected and addressed,” Hua said sticking closely to comments made the previous day.?

China?is “closely following the latest situation” and calls on parties to “exercise restraint?to avoid the situation getting out of control,” Hua said repeatedly.?

“You can ask the US side. They keep fueling fires … You can ask them if they have any plans to put out the fire.”

On Thursday,?China’s customs administration also said they would begin allowing wheat imports as of February 24 from Russia. The two countries had announced an agreement earlier this month for?China?to import Russian wheat during Putin’s visit to Beijing to meet with?President Xi and attend the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics.?

The China-Russia friendship:?Beijing is navigating a complex position as it attempts to balance deepening ties with Moscow with its practiced foreign policy of staunchly defending state sovereignty.

Though not military allies, China and Russia have been presenting?an increasingly united front?in the face of what they view as Western interference into their respective affairs and regions.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to address the nation on the Ukraine situation “shortly,” according to the élysée Palace.?

Footage posted by the élysée Palace on Twitter showed the French president convening an emergency meeting of the French National Defense Council on Thursday morning.?

During the clip, Macron is heard saying that he spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday morning.?

He added that he will speak with Zelensky again on Thursday after the National Defense Council meeting.?

In the clip, the French president tells attendees that the meeting was called to “plan all short-term actions to be taken ourselves, and initiatives to be taken at European and international level.”

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has started taking steps to officially sever diplomatic ties with Russia, according to a statement.

Ukraine has also recalled its Chargé d’Affaires in the Russian Federation for consultations and has begun the evacuation of the embassy in Moscow.

“We emphasize that Russia’s offensive operation is an attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a gross violation of the UN Charter and fundamental norms and principles of international law,” the statement added.?

While the Ukrainian government plans to sever diplomatic relations with Russia, it has said it will not sever consular relations.?

“We will continue to defend the rights and interests of Ukrainians in Russia, including Ukrainian political prisoners,” the statement outlined. “Consular offices of Ukraine in Russian Federation currently continue to operate on a full-time basis.”

NATO will increase land, sea and air forces on its eastern flank amid Russia’s “horrifying attack on Ukraine,” the security alliance said in a statement Thursday.?

“Russia’s actions pose a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security, and they will have geostrategic consequences. NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the security and defence of all Allies,” the statement said.

The statement condemned Russia’s actions, which it labeled “unjustified and unprovoked,” and reaffirmed that it stood with the people of Ukraine.?

“Today, we have held consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. We have decided, in line with our defensive planning to protect all Allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defence across the Alliance. Our measures are and remain preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory,” the statement continued.?

“Our commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is iron-clad. We stand united to defend each other,” it stated.?

There is no longer a US diplomatic presence in Ukraine at this time, according to a US official familiar with the matter.

US diplomats had been spending their nights in Poland and their workdays in Lviv, western Ukraine, over the last few days. But after the Russian assault on Ukraine began Thursday the US diplomats did not go back into the country — and there are no plans for them to do so anytime soon, the official said.

CNN has reached out to the State Department for comment.

Overnight the US embassy in Ukraine announced they had?suspended consular services.

“On February 24, 2022, the Department of State suspended consular operations in Lviv, Ukraine, following the suspension of consular services at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv on February 12, 2022,” according to the embassy’s website.

After a few hours of calm in the morning hours local time, CNN teams in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Mariupol have reported once again hearing sounds of strikes on Thursday, although these so far appear to be less severe than the explosions reported overnight.

An eyewitness who saw and heard the latest strike in the town of Brovary on the outskirts of Kyiv described the situation as “terrifying.”

The CNN team in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, has heard around five blasts that are some distance away.

In the southern city of Odessa, our team heard a strike that was close enough to the city center that it set off car alarms. Another blast was heard along the coast of Odessa after five to six distant explosions at dawn.

In Mariupol, in the southeast of the country, the CNN team heard a barrage of artillery that lasted nearly 20 seconds.

Smoke rises from a Ukrainian air defense base in the aftermath of an apparent Russian strike in Mariupol, on February 24.

Firefighters work on a fire on a building after bombings on the eastern Ukraine town of Chuguiv, Ukraine, on February 24.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov referred to Russia’s military attack on Ukraine as a “special operation” Thursday, but dodged most questions on its nature or objectives in a call with foreign journalists.?

“I cannot give you information on the military, technological and other components of this operation,” Peskov said. “The only primary source here should be our military and defense departments.”

The spokesman added that occupation was not the objective, echoing President Vladimir Putin’s claims in a televised address earlier on Thursday.

In his speech, Putin said he had decided “to conduct a special military operation … to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years,” repeating a baseless claim about Ukraine’s Russian-separatist-backed Donbas region.

The invasion began soon afterwards with a series of missile attacks against locations near Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery against the northeastern city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

After months of?military buildup and brinkmanship,?Russian forces have begun an invasion of Ukraine.

Thursday saw reports of troops crossing the border to the north and south, explosions in multiple cities including the capital Kyiv and warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin of bloodshed unless Ukrainian forces lay down their arms.

A wounded woman is seen after an airstrike damages an apartment complex outside of Kharkiv, Ukraine, on February 24.

The first blasts were heard at around 5 a.m. Thursday, prompting?immediate condemnation from the United States and its allies, which have threatened to enact “full scale” sanctions in response to Russian military aggression.

The escalation in the years-long conflict has triggered the greatest security crisis on the European continent since the Cold War, raising the specter of a dangerous showdown between Western powers and Moscow.

People on a bus leaving from the main bus station in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 24.

As air raid sirens rang out across Kyiv early Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky moved to enact martial law and government ministers accused Moscow of launching a “full-scale invasion.”?As dawn broke, heavy traffic could be seen clogging roads heading west out of the city, while further east, near the Russian border, the mayor of Kharkiv urged citizens not to leave their homes.

Police officers inspect the remains of a missile that fell in the street in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 24.

CNN teams in Russia and Ukraine also heard blasts from several parts of Ukraine, including near the capital Kyiv and the port city of Odessa, and images released by the office of President Zelensky showed large explosions to the east of the capital Kyiv with huge columns of smoke rising into the air.

See more photos from Ukraine here:

Cars burn after Russian military strike, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in central Kyiv, Ukraine October 10, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

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Related gallery Photos: Russia invades Ukraine

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss departs Downing Street after Prime Minister Boris Johnson chaired an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the UK's response to the crisis in Ukraine on February 24.

Britain has summoned its Russian ambassador as the UK’s foreign secretary warned that “severe sanctions” will be imposed on Moscow for its “illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.”

“I have summoned the Russian ambassador to meet me and explain Russia’s illegal, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said in a tweet Thursday.?

Truss warned that the UK will be “imposing severe sanctions and rallying countries in support of Ukraine.”

Coming up: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to address the nation soon.?

Black smoke rises from a military airport in Chuguyev near Kharkiv on February 24

Russian forces invaded Ukraine from three sides, while explosions rang through a number of cities, including the capital Kyiv, in a broad attack that began before dawn on Thursday.

Here’s a timeline of how and when it unfolded.

Putin announces attack: Russian President Vladimir Putin made a speech early Thursday morning, saying he had decided “to conduct a special military operation … to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years,” repeating a baseless claim about Ukraine’s Russian-separatist-backed Donbas region.

He denied, however, that Russia was planning to occupy Ukrainian territories. “We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force.”

But in a deeply menacing passage Putin added that anyone trying to interfere with or threaten Russia would lead to “consequences that you have never experienced in your history.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded several hours later with a minute-long speech of his own, saying he had spoken to US President Joe Biden and that the United States was rallying international support for Ukraine.

“The West is with us,” he said, and announced martial law across the country.

A pre-dawn assault: The invasion began hours before dawn with a series of missile attacks against locations near Kyiv, as well as the use of long-range artillery against the northeastern city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

It quickly spread across central and eastern Ukraine as Russian forces attacked the country from three sides. In the hours before daylight, people in the cities of Odessa, Dnipro, Mariupol and Kramatorsk reported huge blasts.

Immediate details of casualties were unclear. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed its troops sustained no losses.

But there was clearly substantial damage in and around several cities. In Kharkiv, video emerged of an apartment block that had been damaged by a missile or long-range artillery. Another video showed a rocket embedded in a road. The State Emergency Service reported that six people were trapped in rubble in Nizhyn.

Ukraine’s interior ministry said ballistic missiles had been used as part of the offensive, while jets were heard over the central city of Zaporizhzhye.

The Russians used a wide array of weaponry in their assault, including attack aircraft and helicopters, tanks, long range artillery and missiles.

Dawn breaks: After dawn, air sirens sounded across Kyiv and also in the western city of Lviv. A short time later a single, unidentifiable plane roared above the capital.

As the day began in Kyiv, streams of vehicles could be seen crossing the North Bridge, heading west, away from the focus of the Russian assault. Other people in the capital sought shelter in the subway.

Across the country long lines formed at gas stations and cash machines. A few people gathered in the streets of Kharkiv to pray.

Under overcast skies on Friday morning, Kiev appeared to be in a state of shock. The streets were quiet and schools closed. Here and across the country, Ukrainians are just beginning to come to terms with a cataclysmic night and the prospect of a deeply uncertain future.

CNN teams across Ukraine and Russia contributed to this report.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock briefs the media in Berlin, on February 24.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday said the European Union is set to unleash “the full packet of sanctions” against Russia, adding that the world must respond resolutely to the invasion of Ukraine, or run the risk of paying an even higher price.

“If we do not take a firm stance now, we will pay an even higher price,” Baerbock continued.

Baerbock noted that Russia had “rejected our offers of talks.” She also appealed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying: “You will never destroy the dream of democracy” and said Ukraine had “done nothing wrong” to merit Russia’s invasion.?

The foreign minister called again on German citizens to leave Ukraine immediately, adding that if?they cannot leave the country safely, they should stay in a safe place. Baerbock said that German embassies in neighboring countries will be present on the borders to provide help to EU citizens.?

Germany will decide shortly if the country’s embassy can continue its operation from Lviv, Baerbock concluded.?

US President Joe Biden was working the phones with top national security officials in the moments before and after his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin announced he was launching a military intervention in Ukraine, the grim fulfillment of Biden’s predictions stretching back weeks.

National security aides had already been huddling in the West Wing?on Wednesday evening, preparing for what US officials had warned was a looming assault on Ukraine, when Putin’s speech began airing on Russian television?around 9:45 p.m. ET.

Appearing before dawn in Russia, the speech came as a surprise.

British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward (L) and US Ambassador to the UN?Linda?Thomas-Greenfield?(R) attend the United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine in New York City on February 23.

At the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield had spoken by phone to Biden in the moments?prior to her remarks at an emergency session of the Security Council. He?asked her “to convey in the strongest possible terms his – and our – steadfast support for Ukraine,” she said?around 9:45 p.m. ET?– almost exactly the same time as Putin’s address.

Her speech didn’t reflect the major development that Putin had officially announced the invasion.?Photos from the room show her texting with the Ukrainian delegate, saying she “wished I had the news before I ended my remarks.”

US Ambassador to the UN?Linda?Thomas-Greenfield?chats with Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya on a phone during a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday.

At the White House, Biden convened a secure phone call with top military brass Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

Just past?10 p.m. ET, activity in the West Wing briefly came to a halt as televisions tuned to CNN showed teams reporting hearing explosions in Kyiv and Kharkiv, hurriedly donning their protective gear and helmets.

In their offices, Sullivan and other aides worked on drafting Biden’s initial statement declaring Russia’s actions “unprovoked and unjustified” and vowing “the world will hold Russia accountable.”?Biden’s statement came?through at 10:25 p.m. ET.

Roughly an hour later, a request came in from Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky to speak with Biden, who was eager to get him on the phone. Earlier in the day, officials took note of Zelensky’s public concerns, including declaring a state of emergency and mobilizing military reservists, believing it was?first time he had conveyed publicly the concerns they have discussed privately for weeks.

On their call, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, Zelensky asked Biden to “call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine.”

As Biden was speaking to Zelensky, his aides were also on the phone to Europe as they prepared to announce what one official described as the “full scale” of sanctions, which could include export controls, restrictions on large banks and blocks on members of Putin’s inner circle.

Biden starts Thursday with additional briefings before attending a virtual session of the G7, where the sanctions will be discussed among the world’s leading industrialized nations.

And?at noon, Biden will speak to the American people from the White House.

Read more:

President Joe Biden speaks about the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Related article Biden to unleash additional sanctions on Russia now that Ukraine assault is underway

The Ukrainian Presidency has said that more than 40 soldiers have been killed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began – and a few dozen injured.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser in the President’s Office, said that in addition to the military casualties, “as far as I know, at the moment there are a few civilian deaths – up to ten.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press statement on Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Brussels on Feb. 24.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised to “weaken Russia’s economic base and its capacity to modernize” following the “barbaric attack” by Moscow against Ukraine.

“We condemn this barbaric attack and the cynical arguments that are being used to justify it.”

“Harshest” sanctions:?Von der Leyen said she will present “massive and strategic” sanctions against Russia for approval later today.

“These sanctions are designed to take a heavy toll on the Kremlin’s interests and their ability to finance war. And we know that millions of Russians do not want war,” she said.

“We will not allow President [Vladimir] Putin to replace the rule of law, by the rule of force, and ruthlessness,” she said, “Ukraine will prevail.”

Speaking alongside Von der Leyen, EU High Representative Josep Borrell said punitive measures from the 27-member bloc against Russia would be “the harshest packet of sanctions that has ever been implemented.”

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces says it has shot down a sixth Russian plane,?this time in the Kramatorsk area.

The update follows a claim earlier Thursday that it had shot down five aircraft and a helicopter as Russian forces attacked Ukraine. ?

In response, the Russian military earlier denied the claims, according to state news agency TASS.

(Pierre Crom/Getty Images)

Photos from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are emerging of long lines of cars heading out of the city after Russia’s attack early Thursday morning. Heavy traffic appears to be all moving west, away from where explosions were heard this morning, with few cars going east.

Earlier Thursday morning, CNN reporters heard explosions coming from the east of the city, in the direction of Boryspil International Airport.

Explosions have also been reported in other parts of Ukraine including Kharkiv and the port city Odessa.

Ukrainian leader?Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a televised address on February 24.

Russia has attacked Ukraine in a “cunning way,” acting much the same as Hitler did in the Second World War, Ukrainian leader?Volodymyr Zelensky said in a televised address Thursday as Russian forces enter the country from three sides.?

Russia is on a “path of evil,” Prime Minister Zelensky said.?

Zelensky added that the Ukrainian military are engaged in “heavy fighting fending off attacks in Donbas in the east in the north and in the south.”??

?“The enemy has sustained heavy casualties and they will be even heavier … they came to our land,” he warned.

NATO member states Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have triggered NATO Article 4 to launch consultations within the alliance over Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

“The Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened,” Article 4 of The North Atlantic Treaty says.

The website says Article 4 has been invoked six times previously since the alliance formed in 1949, most recently by Turkey in February 2020 after dozens of Turkish soldiers were killed by an attack by Syrian government forces in opposition-held areas of northern Syria.

Turkey has invoked Article 4 on four other occasions: once in 2015 to inform the alliance of its response to terrorist attacks in the country; twice in 2012 after a Turkish warplane was shot down in northern Syria and after Turkish civilians were killed by Syrian shelling; and in 2003 when it asked for alliance help to protect its population from any spillover from the war in neighboring Iraq.

On two of those occasions, NATO responded with military aid, sending Patriot missile batteries to protect against Syrian attacks in 2012 and sending aircraft and missile batteries to southeastern Turkey along the border with Iraq in 2003.

Poland invoked Article 4 in 2014 after previous Russian aggression in Ukraine, a meeting that resulted in further alliance efforts to stand together against any threats.

Article 4 is separate from Article 5, which is the alliance’s declaration that an attack against one member is considered an attack against all.

Russian state television broadcasts an address by Russian?President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

Before the crack of dawn, just before explosions began in cities across Ukraine, Russian state television unexpectedly broadcast an address by Russian?President Vladimir Putin.??

The two self-proclaimed “people’s republics” of Donetsk and Luhansk, in the breakaway Ukrainian region of Donbas, which he had officially recognized as independent less than two days before, had “turned to Russia with a request for help,” he said. To answer that call he was launching a “special military operation.” Its purpose: to “demilitarize” and “denazifiy” Ukraine.?

Within minutes, Russian missiles began hitting targets in Ukraine. “Our actions are self-defense against threats,” he told his fellow Russians,?claiming Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukraine. “We do not plan to?impose ourselves on anyone,” he insisted.

Putin described the “special military operation” in limited terms, to protect people living in Donbas who, he claimed, had been subjected to “genocide,” a charge that Ukraine has strenuously denied. But in the next breath, he lashed out more broadly: “NATO supports Ukrainian neo-Nazis?…?our actions are self-defense against threats.”?

Then, in an extraordinary passage, he spoke directly to members of Ukraine’s military, at that very moment in the crosshairs of the Russian military. Addressing them as “dear comrades,” he told them they had taken an “oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people, and not to the anti-people junta that is robbing Ukraine and abuses those same people.”

“Don’t follow its criminal orders!” he demanded. “I urge you to lay down your weapons and go home.”?

As he has done so many times before, Putin claimed Russia had no choice but to defend itself. With a hard-edged tone in his voice, he seemed to threaten the US, Europe and NATO which, in just a few minutes, would witness his armed forces opening fire on Ukraine, something the Kremlin had consistently dismissed as western “hysterics.”?

“Whoever tries to interfere with us, and even more so, to create threats for our country, for our people, should know that Russia’s response will be immediate and will lead you to such consequences that you have never experienced in your history.

“We are ready for any development of events. All necessary decisions in this regard have been made.”

Putin, who for years had criticized the?West for ignoring his complaints about NATO’s expansion toward Russia’s borders, was finally striking back with fury.?“I hope,” he concluded his short address,?“that I have been heard.”

WATCH:

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01:09 - Source: CNN