The Ukraine conflict is intensifying, and fighting in the east of the country is increasing.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is escalating.
Vladimir Putin recognizes the independence of the separatist areas in eastern Ukraine. US President Joe Biden acts and moves troops to the eastern NATO member states.
6.30 a.m .: Belarus troops are now also attacking. CNN reports that fighting is raging on the Ukrainian border. Several border posts are under fire there
6:15 a.m .: The air alarm was apparently triggered in Kiev. Sirens can currently be heard in the city center, according to international observers. CNN showed live footage of it.
6:05 a.m .: The Ukrainian President Zelenskyi has officially declared a state of war. He announced this in a video message. He called on the people of Ukraine to stay indoors. “We are strong. We are ready for anything. We will win,” said Selenskyi.
5:50 a.m .: There were apparently five explosions at the airport in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. This is reported by CNN, citing the Ministry of the Interior.
5.40 a.m .: UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed to Vladimir Putin to stop the Russian attack on Ukraine. “In the name of humanity, get your troops back,” he said after an emergency UN Security Council meeting in New York.
5:30 a.m.: The Russian invasion of Ukraine has now definitely begun. Armed forces crossed the borders near Kharkiv on Thursday night. There were explosions in several cities, including numerous locations along the border. There are also reports of a Black Sea Fleet landing operation in the Sea of Azov and in Odessa.
US President Joe Biden called the invasion of Russia an “unjustified attack”. Vladimir Putin had previously announced his actions in the nightly TV speech as a “military operation”. This is reported by CNN and BBC, among others.
5:02 a.m .: The announcement of war by Russia against Ukraine has been described by Germany as the largest military conflict in Europe in decades. “We are meeting at the exact moment of a military escalation, the likes of which we have not seen in Europe for generations,” said German UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse at a short-term emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Wednesday evening (local time). According to Leendertse, this is a “shameless breach of international law.” A state of emergency was declared in Ukraine (see update from February 23, 2022, 9:30 p.m.).
12:15 a.m.: After the pro-Russian separatist areas in eastern Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk, asked Russia for military support (see update from February 23, 2022, 10:20 p.m.), Ukraine called the UN Security Council for the second time . Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter that help is needed again in the international conflict. So far it is unclear how the United Nations will react to Ukraine’s request for help.
Meanwhile, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck has reacted to the latest developments in the Ukraine conflict. The ARD * said the Vice-Chancellor that Europe is facing a massive land war: “I think that if you start such an armament spiral, it will be difficult to get out of it,” said the Green politician *. In the current situation, Russia is the clear aggressor and is bringing about a war, stressed Habeck in an interview. This is a situation that points to a war of aggression.
