The Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the start of a "special military operation" in Ukraine and broke the hostilities of a war that puts the world in maximum tension.
The invasion of Russia is underway. War is a reality and there is no turning back.
Shortly before 6 a.m. This Thursday, Moscow time, Putin announced the beginning of military actions, promising that his intention is not to occupy Ukraine, but to demilitarize the country.
"I have made the decision to carry out a special military operation with the aim of defending people who for eight years have suffered persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime. To achieve this, we will propose the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine" Putin stated in his televised statement to the Russian nation.
The military action was immediately condemned by the US president Joe Biden, who this Thursday will make a special address from the White House, after speaking with Washington's allies in Europe and NATO forces.
He United Nations Security Council meets emergency at Ukraine's request, which warned of the imminent invasion since hours before Putin's statement was made.
But explosions began to sound in kyiv, in what appears to be a Russian attempt to control the airport area of the Ukrainian capital and avoid a high-caliber military reaction.
"Our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territory," the president said.
The Russian president added that the operation seeks to bring to justice those who perpetrated bloody crimes against the civilian population, including citizens of the Russian Federation.
He said he was acting after receiving a request for help from the leaders of the separatist territories of the Donbas region, established in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
Putin called on Ukrainian soldiers to immediately lay down their weapons.
"All members of the Ukrainian army who follow these demands will be able to leave the combat zone," said the president, who issued strong warnings to countries that have supported Ukraine.
He also warned that there will be retaliation against countries that offer effective support to Ukraine.
"Anyone who tries to interfere with us, or even more so, create threats to our country and our people, must know that Russia's response will be immediate and will lead to consequences the likes of which it has never experienced before in its history... We are prepared for any turn of events," Putin said.
Putin presented his operation as an attack on "Nazis" in Ukraine and a rejection of the US-led world order.
"For 30 years, we have deliberately and patiently tried to reach an agreement with NATO countries on equal and indivisible security in Europe," Putin, who stated that the Russian people were on the right side of history.
President Biden reacted immediately through a statement issued from the White House and pointed to Putin as directly responsible for a war with catastrophic consequences.
"President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring catastrophic loss of life and human suffering," Biden said. "Russia is solely responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond unitedly and decisively. The world will hold Russia accountable."
Biden announced that he will address the American people this Thursday after holding a meeting of G-7 leaders, and is expected to announce more sanctions against Russia.
As Putin announced the start of the war, the UN Security Council met in a last attempt to avoid conflict in Ukraine.
Several NATO allied countries called at the meeting for Russia to withdraw and return to the negotiating table.
But Ukraine's fate was already cast.
Within hours of Putin's address, Ukraine's Interior Ministry said there had been hundreds of casualties even though Russia insisted the attacks were aimed at military installations, supposedly avoiding populated areas.
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