Ukrainian Ministers: "Russia Launches Full-Scale War... Bombing Continues in Kyiv and Others"

On the 24th (local time), a view of Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced on the 24th, Ukraine time, that Russia has launched a full-scale war against his country.

According to CNN, Minister Kuleba stated on his Twitter that Russian President Vladimir Putin "has launched a full-scale war against Ukraine," adding that "bombing is taking place in peaceful Ukrainian cities." He described it as "a highly aggressive war" and said, "Ukraine will defend itself and emerge victorious." He further added, "The world can and must stop Putin," emphasizing, "The time to act is now."

Anton Gerashchenko, Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, also posted on his Facebook account that "Russia's invasion began with missile strikes on Kyiv," reporting that shelling in Kyiv and Kharkiv has damaged airports and military command headquarters, and that firefights are ongoing along the border.

Earlier, President Putin officially announced a special military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. He stated, "Russia cannot tolerate the threat from Ukraine. The situation has compelled us to take decisive and swift action," adding, "The sole objective of the operation is to protect the residents of Donbas. Our plan is not to occupy Ukraine."

Following President Putin's announcement, local Ukrainian media reported a series of explosions in multiple cities including the capital Kyiv. While the exact cause of the explosions has not been clearly identified, a CNN local correspondent reported that the explosions near Kyiv were due to missile attacks.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.