Russia’s attack on Ukraine ignites protests across the globe
Ukrainian Americans rallied outside the White House on Thursday, calling for stiffer sanctions against Russia and more military support for Ukraine.
At the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., “murder” was spray-painted in red outside the compound’s gates on the sidewalk.
There were also protests in Austin, Chicago, Denver and New York City.
There were also demonstrations abroad in London, Berlin and Moscow, where more than 900 were arrested protesting the attack.
Ukrainian Americans rally against Russian invasion
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Ukrainians shelter in subway stations as Russia attacks
Ukrainians were sheltering in Kharkiv’s subway stations after Russia launched missiles and airstrikes.
Andriy Ostapenko showed CBS News correspondent Holly Williams where he and hundreds of others will likely sleep — the city’s subway — after they fled their homes.
With the train’s halted, people camped out with their children and pets.
Marina Omelyanenko and her mother told CBS News that they heard it was too dangerous to flee the city by road.
“It will be really scary to stay at home. At night it will be dark,” she said.
Ukrainian civilians seek safety as missiles fall
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DHS to lead response to possible Russia-related impacts on U.S.
President Biden chose the Department of Homeland Security to “coordinate domestic preparedness and response efforts related to the current Russia-Ukraine crisis,” the agency said in a statement Thursday.
“As lead Federal agency, DHS has established a Unified Coordination Group (UCG) to ensure unity of effort across the Federal Government in preparing for and responding to possible threats to the homeland; develop and pursue strategic objectives and priorities; and coordinate with Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials, as well as representatives of the private sector and nongovernmental entities in support of these objectives and priorities,” it said.
The DHS reiterated that there are no current credible threats against the U.S.
In speech about Russia’s attack, Zelensky says “the enemy has marked me as target No. 1”
Zelensky said Thursday night that Russia has marked him as its top target, and his family as a close second.
“They want to damage Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state,” he remarked.
In a late-night address to his nation on Thursday, Ukraine’s President said, “the enemy has marked me as target No. 1.” https://t.co/UVbAPC9IMU pic.twitter.com/zdY9XFyCH9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 25, 2022
Ukraine’s president says 137 people died in first day of fighting
In a late-night video address to his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 137 Ukrainians died on Thursday, the first day of fighting after Russia began its attack on the country.
“Today we have lost 137 of our heroes, our citizens. Military and civilian,” Zelensky said, adding that another 316 people had been injured.
In a video address to his nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainians died and 316 were wounded on the first day of Russia’s invasion: “Let those who gave their lives for Ukraine be remembered forever,” he said in Ukrainian. https://t.co/G8090VdzzD pic.twitter.com/PqqdUXgJOm
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 25, 2022
White House “outraged” by reports of Russia taking hostages at Chernobyl
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration was “outraged” by what she said are “credible reports” that Russian forces have taken hostages at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
“This unlawful and dangerous hostage-taking, which could upend the routine civil service efforts required to maintain and protect the nuclear waste facilities, is obviously incredibly alarming and greatly concerning. We condemn it and we request their release,” she said during Thursday’s press briefing.
She said the administration is in touch with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and that the U.S. is “working to provide him with a range of support” and knows where he is located.
Mr. Biden did not have a call with Zelensky on Thursday, but he had an hourlong meeting in the morning with his national security team and a virtual meeting with leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations, which spanned several hours.
The president also spoke for an hour Thursday afternoon with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on a secure call, briefing them on the situation on the ground in Ukraine and fielding questions, Psaki said.
Men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving Ukraine under martial law
Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been temporarily barred from leaving the country. The State Border Guard Service told CBS News’ Erin Lyall it’s a result of President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring martial law following Russia’s attack on the country.
“Such a rule will apply for the period of martial law,” the border guard said in a statement. “We ask citizens to take this information into account.”
U.N. chief says Russian invasion is wrong but “not irreversible”
United Nations – U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called Russia’s military offensive “wrong” and “unacceptable” but “not irreversible.”
Guterres had a message for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin: “Stop the military operation. Bring the troops back to Russia.”
The U.N. chief said the protection of civilians is the first priority of the United Nations and it was “scaling up” its humanitarian operations in and around Ukraine. He also announced the allocation of $20 million from an emergency response fund to meet urgent needs.
“We and our humanitarian partners are committed to staying and delivering, to support people in Ukraine in their time of need,” he said.
The secretary-general’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, told CBS News some personnel were being relocated and staff were instructed to “take necessary precautions.”
“A core group of mission-critical staff remains working in the areas around the line of contact,” Dujarric said.
Guterres said U.N. staff are “working on both sides of the contact line, always guided by the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence.”
As of Thursday, the number of U.N. staff in Ukraine is 1,573, Farhan Haq, the secretary-general’s deputy spokesman, told CBS News.
“Some staff are being relocated, but some others came in as surge capacity over the past day,” Haq said.
Other agencies of the U.N. have personnel in Ukraine. The World Food Program is also staying.
“We are deeply concerned about the evolving conflict in Ukraine and its potential impact on access to food for civilians in affected areas and on our operations globally,” said David Beasley, the agency’s executive director.
“The Black Sea basin is one of the world’s most important areas for grain and agricultural production, and the food-security impact of the conflict will likely be felt beyond Ukraine’s border, especially on the poorest of the poor,” he said.
The agency said an interruption to the flow of grain out of the region will “increase prices and add further fuel to food inflation at a time when its affordability is a concern across the globe following the economic damage” from the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. sending 7,000 more troops to Germany
The U.S. is deploying 7,000 additional troops to Germany in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday, as President Biden warned that the U.S. will “defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power.”
The additional troops “will deploy to Germany to reassure NATO Allies, deter Russian aggression and be prepared to support a range of requirements in the region,” the official said in a statement. “We expect them to depart in the coming days.”
What the U.S. can do to counter Russian invasion into Ukraine
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In his remarks Thursday, Mr. Biden said he was “authorizing additional U.S. force capabilities to deploy to Germany as part of NATO’s response, including some of the U.S.-based forces that the Department of Defense placed on standby weeks ago.”
Mr. Biden reiterated that no U.S. troops would be involved in defending Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO, but stressed that the U.S. is ready to come to the aid of NATO partners in Eastern Europe in the event of a Russian incursion. He said he and his military advisers had also discussed the possibility of “additional moves should they become necessary to protect our NATO allies and support the greatest military alliance in the history of the world.”
Biden says new sanctions won’t include pulling Russia’s access to SWIFT
The U.S. slapped a number of Russian financial institutions and “elite” individuals with sanctions Thursday over the invasion of Ukraine, but President Biden ruled out removing Russia from the SWIFT banking system despite calls to do so from a number of U.S. lawmakers, world leaders and Ukrainian officials.
“It is always an option — but right now, that’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take,” Mr. Biden said in a speech at the White House. The president also suggested the sanctions on other banks may be of more consequence than taking action on SWIFT.
Biden unveils new sanctions as Russia attacks Ukraine
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SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative founded in 1973 that provides secure global financial messaging services. It links more than 11,000 institutions in more than 200 countries. According to SWIFT, in 2021, an average of 42 million payments and securities transactions were processed each day using their messaging, a more than 11% increase from the year before.
Headquartered in Belgium, shareholders elect the board composed of 25 independent directors, which governs the company and oversees its management. Each country’s use of the messaging services determines both the SWIFT shareholding allocations and the number of directors they are entitled to. Russia is on the board.
Despite Mr. Biden leaving action regarding SWIFT off the table for now, the U.K. foreign secretary indicated the country is working with allies to exclude Russia from the financial system.
This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Russia to be banned from SWIFT. Multiple U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have signaled they support the move.
Biden unveils new sanctions on Russia for “premeditated attack”
President Biden declared Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine a “premeditated attack” and announced additional economic sanctions the U.S. and Western allies will impose on Russia in response to its aggressive actions.
“Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Mr. Biden said during remarks at the White House.
Special Report: President Biden addresses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
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The president announced the U.S. will impose sanctions on four of Russia’s largest banks, in addition to two financial institutions the U.S. sanctioned earlier this week, meaning “every asset they have in America will be frozen,” he said. The U.S. and Western allies are also imposing new export controls, which Mr. Biden said will block more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports and strike a blow to Moscow’s military and technological capabilities.
-Kathryn Watson and Melissa Quinn
Ukrainian official says Russia has taken control of Chernobyl nuclear plant
An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country has lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after Ukrainian forces fought to defend it from Russian troops, according to reports.
Myhailo Podolyak, the adviser, was quoted by The Associated Press and other news agencies as saying that after a “senseless attack of the Russians… it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.”
Zelensky warned earlier on Thursday that Russian troops were attempting to seize the abandoned and sealed up nuclear site, an effort he called “a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.”
Chernobyl: Where time stands still
21 photos
Chernobyl was the scene of the 1986 nuclear disaster following an explosion in the Soviet-era plant. Scores of people were evacuated from the highly contaminated area following the meltdown, and at least 32 people died because of the blast and its immediate aftermath. Thousands of cases of cancer have been linked to the disaster in the years since.
Ukrainian lawmaker breaks down, begs world to “save our people”
Ukrainian Parliament member Halyna Yanchenko broke down in tears on CBS News Thursday as she made an emotional plea to the world: “Please, save our people. Dozens of people, maybe hundreds of people might be murdered tonight,” she said.
A Ukrainian lawmaker’s plea for help
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Vladimir Putin said his forces would not attack Ukrainian cities, but the initial battery of shelling on Thursday hit military targets in and near many of the country’s biggest population centers. CBS News journalists in Kyiv saw damage to non-military infrastructure that appeared to suggest that at least some of Russia’s missiles had failed to hit their targets.
Ukrainian authorities have provided no death or casualty figures, but a senior government official said early in the day that “dozens” of Ukrainian military forces had been killed in Russia’s attack.
Ukrainians grapple with reality that Russia could try to take Kyiv
Up until the day before Russia launched its full-scale attack on their country, Ukrainians in the capital city of Kyiv said they didn’t expect Vladimir Putin to invade the way he has.
On Thursday, they woke up to attacks on the capital, and they reacted in their numbers.
Ukrainians face reality that Russia may try to take Kyiv
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This morning, cars were backed up on the highways trying to get out of Kyiv. CBS News saw long lines at a gas station as people tried to fill up for the exodus, and some who are staying in Kyiv decided to take shelter in subway stations and underground car parks.
So while they may have never expected this to happen, they’re certainly responding now.
“People have clearly decided that they want to get out of here”: CBS News’ Haley Ott reports outside a gas station in Kyiv, where a line for fuel stretches all the way down a highway after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/NK7n4NGtf7
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 24, 2022
Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S.: “It’s a war against Ukraine”
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s characterization of the action he ordered against Ukraine as a “special military operation” and said Russian forces had “launched a war” against her country.
“Make no mistake,” Markarova told reporters during a press conference at Ukraine’s embassy in Washington, “it’s not a military operation or whatever it was called yesterday in Donetsk or Luhansk. It’s a war against Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian ambassador said her country had been fighting to repel “simultaneous” attacks from three sides, as well as from the air since the overnight hours.
Marakova joined other Ukrainian officials in calling for the U.S. and its partners to impose “devastating” sanctions on Russia, including cutting it off from SWIFT, a system used by most large financial institutions to carry out international transactions, and to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow.
I will not be diplomatic on this. Everyone who now doubts whether Russia should be banned from SWIFT has to understand that the blood of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will be on their hands too. BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022
“We do not expect anyone to fight for us, but we expect all the help and all the response the West can send to us,” she said, adding, “it’s the moment when it’s not okay for anyone who values peace to continue business as usual with Russia.”
Markarova said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was still in Ukraine, but she would not say if he was still in the capital of Kyiv.
“We will defend our country, and we are not scared,” she said.
U.S. official says initial Russian barrage included 100 missiles, 75 bombers
The U.S. observed Russian forces firing roughly 100 missiles from both land and sea against targets in Ukraine beginning around 4:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters. The initial barrage included short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles, the official said. About 75 fixed-wing Russian bombers were used in the onslaught, with targets focused on military depots and air defense systems, according to the official.
Several hours later, the U.S. observed some ground incursions from Belarus into Ukraine, northwest of Kyiv. The Russian offensive is operating on three fronts, the official said: from Crimea in the south; from the north in Belarus into Ukraine, and from Ukraine’s northeast border with Russia toward the south, toward the city of Kharkiv. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is the site of the heaviest fighting, the official said.
Teen in Ukraine describes chaotic scenes as Russia attacks
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“It is likely you will see this unfold in multiple phases. How many? How long? We don’t know. But what we’re seeing are the initial phases of a large-scale invasion,” the official said, adding that there hasn’t been “a conventional move like this, nation state to nation state, since World War II, certainly nothing in this size and scope and scale.”
The official said the Russians are “making a move on Kyiv, but what they’re going to do in Kyiv, it’s hard to say.”
“It’s our assessment 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 said.
General H.R. McMaster on what motivated Putin to invade Ukraine
Former U.S. National Security Advisor and veteran military commander General H.R. McMaster appeared Thursday on “CBS Mornings” and said in his estimation, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was driven “by an obsession with restoring Russia to national greatness” — by way of dragging his neighbors down with Russia.
“His plan to do that is not to make Russia great, it’s really to drag everybody else down,” McMaster said, suggesting the Russian president’s thinking “goes back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — what Putin saw as a disaster. And what Putin has been driven by since that time, since he took over the year 2000, you know, 22 years ago, he’s been driven by an obsession with restoring Russia to national greatness.”
“You’re seeing this sustained campaign against any of the former territories of the Soviet Union… really designed to restore Russian influence,” he said.
Watch the full interview here:
Former national security adviser General H.R. McMaster discusses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
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European soccer league holds crisis meeting as championship final pulled from Russia
Europe’s UEFA soccer league called an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee for Friday to discuss the deepening crisis between Russia and Ukraine, with its governing body set to move the final of this season’s Champions League on May 28, which is due to take place in Saint Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium, after Russia stepped up its campaign against its neighbor with a military invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning.
“Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine in the last 24 hours, the UEFA President has decided to call an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for Friday 25 February at 10:00 CET, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions,” said a statement. “Further communication will be made after the meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee.”
Read the full story on CBSSports.com.
Russians join anti-war protests as prominent artists and journalists reject Putin’s claims
Many Russians woke up on Thursday dismayed to learn that their president had announced “a special military operation” in separatist controlled regions of eastern Ukraine. There was dismay as Russians watched videos purportedly showing Russian forces firing at Ukrainian police.
ANTON VAGANOV/REUTERS
Instagram and Twitter feeds were filled with posts expressing shame and condemnation of Putin. Media outlets, including student outlet DOXA and independent news site Meduza, launched a “No to War” campaign or issued editorial letters urging Russia to cease its military activities.
Russian media reported demonstrations in 300-400 people had gathered on Pushkin Square in Moscow, shouting “No to war.” Police had detained several people but were not dispersing the group, according to some reports.
As street protests reportedly got underway in St. Petersburg in the west and Perm in central Russia, a group of more than a dozen prominent Russian artists and journalists signed an open letter calling for protests and an end to the invasion.
Russians are gathering for anti-war protests. This is Novosibirsk. Earlier today activists have been detained pretty much immediately — Moscow is now also preparing for the demos. Last winter we saw that crackdowns have gotten much harsher. https://t.co/1OT5fXGctF
— Mary Ilyushina (@maryilyushina) February 24, 2022
“We do not want our children to live in an aggressor country, so that they are ashamed that their army attacked a neighboring independent state. We call on all citizens of Russia to say no to this war,” the group said in the letter posted online by journalist Mikhail Zygar, founder of the independent TV channel Dozhd.
“We do not believe that an independent Ukraine poses a threat to Russia or any other state. We do not believe Vladimir Putin’s claims that the Ukrainian people are under the rule of ‘Nazis’ and need to be ‘liberated’,” the statement said. “We demand an end to this war.”
Russian authorities earlier warned people in the country that joining unsanctioned demonstrations could lead to their arrest. The independent rights monitoring group OVD.Info said Russian police had detained more than 160 people in 24 cities across Russia on Thursday.
Ukraine’s leader says Russian troops trying to seize Chernobyl nuclear plant
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian forces are attempting to seize the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster.
“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. Reported this to @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” Zelensky tweeted.
The explosion and fires at the site more than 35 years ago sent radiation into the air, with large amounts carried over Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Scores of people were evacuated from the area following the meltdown, and at least 32 people died because of the blast and its immediate aftermath.
February 18, 1990: The abandoned city of Pripyat
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Roughly 11,000 cases of thyroid cancer since then may be linked to the disaster, according to a 2016 report from the World Health Organization. The area around the reactor is off-limits to the public.
Biden to speak on Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” attack on Ukraine
President Biden is set to address the American people on Thursday afternoon after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to announce additional sanctions the U.S. and Western allies will impose on Russia in response.
Mr. Biden condemned what he called an “unprovoked and unjustified attack” on Ukraine in a statement issued late on Wednesday evening in Washington, after Russia began launching missile strikes against targets in Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv. The president accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of choosing “a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”
You will be able to watch Mr. Biden’s remarks live in the CBS News live player at the top of this page, or at this link. He is expected to speak at 12:30 p.m. Eastern in the East Room of the White House after a meeting with Group of 7 leaders, many of whom joined the U.S. in issuing widespread condemnation of Russia’s attack.
Moscow warns Russians of “consequences” of joining anti-war protests
Russian authorities on Thursday warned anti-war sympathizers against gathering for protests over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The Investigative Committee, a government body that investigates major crimes, warned Russians of legal repercussions for joining unsanctioned protests related to “the tense foreign political situation.”
It said it was responding to social media calls to protest against Putin’s decision to attack Ukraine.
“One should be aware of the negative legal consequences of these actions in the form of prosecution up to criminal liability,” it said.
The Russian interior ministry said it would take “all necessary measures to ensure public order.”
Russia has strict protest laws and demonstrations often end in mass arrests. Some Russians called on social media for people to take to the streets to protest against the Ukraine attack, and pictures soon emerged of a demonstration in the western city of St. Petersburg.
A video posted on the Telegram social media app, which is popular in Russia, showed an elderly woman being detained by police while holding a sign showing the Ukrainian flag and the words “No to War.”
– CBS/AFP
Residents in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, seek shelter in metro station
Ukrainians took shelter in train stations on Thursday as Russia’s bombardment continued. In Kyiv, there were social media reports of people gathering below ground with luggage and plans to wait out the night.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city which sits only about 30 miles from the border with Russia, CBS News saw people gathering in subway stations and parked trains, which appeared to have been turned off.
Erin Lyall/CBS
Families were sitting on platforms and in the trains, some of them with small children.
– Holly Williams, Erin Lyall and Haley Ott
Putin said he wouldn’t occupy Ukraine, but he also said he wouldn’t invade
CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams said that after weeks of warnings from Washington that a Russian invasion was imminent, when it came down to it, there was almost no direct warning before missiles started falling on Wednesday evening.
Just minutes after Vladimir Putin announced his country’s military operation, Williams and her team heard the thuds of what they assumed to be missile strikes close to their location in the eastern city of Kharkiv, only around 30 miles from the Russian border.
Inside Ukraine as Russia attacks
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Putin said Wednesday night, that his government’s plans “do not include an occupation,” but given that Russia denied for months any plans to invade Ukraine at all, it’s not clear how much faith could be put in his statement.
Ukraine said Thursday that Russian forces were coming across the country’s borders — including just near in Kharkiv, but Williams said there was no sign of them yet in the city.
Ukraine says “dozens” of troops killed and Russian forces crossing border in Kyiv region
Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said on Thursday that Russian forces had begun breaking through the country’s border in the Kyiv region.
The Ukrainian military and border guards were working to defend the crossing, they said, but Russian vehicles had made it through one crossing point.
Oleksiy Arestovich, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said during a briefing on Thursday that “dozens of Ukrainian servicemen has been confirmed” killed amid Russia’s attacks.
Jailed Russian opposition leader Navalny calls war a diversion tactic by Putin
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny said Thursday he was against Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, even as he appeared remotely from a Russian prison for his latest court hearing.
“I am against this war,” Navalny was heard saying in a video of the trial published by independent news outlet Dozhd. “This war between Russia and Ukraine was unleashed to cover up the theft from Russian citizens and divert their attention from problems that exist inside the country.”
Wearing a prison uniform, Navalny said the war would “lead to a huge number of victims, destroyed futures and the continuation of this line of impoverishment of the citizens of Russia.”
He is being tried from inside a maximum security prison outside Moscow on fresh charges that could see his time behind bars extended by a decade. His allies have said the trial — which opened last week — has been purposefully timed to coincide with the Ukraine crisis. Navalny has been behind bars for a year on old fraud charges, after surviving a poison attack he and the West blame on the Kremlin.
Visibly gaunt Alexei Navalny makes first public appearance since hunger strike
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Russia says China “agreed” that Ukraine and U.S. to blame for current crisis
Russia said on Thursday that China had given its backing for President Vladimir Putin’s military attack on neighboring Ukraine, claiming that the Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers had held a phone call during which they “agreed that the reason for the current crisis was Kyiv’s refusal, encouraged by the United States and its allies, to implement” ceasefire agreements hashed out almost eight years ago between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces.
“It was emphasized that Russia and China insist on the need for all countries to respect the principle of the indivisibility of security,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
During a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday night, after Russia began its attack on Ukraine, China’s Ambassador Zhang Jun said there was a “complex historical context for the Ukraine issue, and that the current situation is a result of the interplay of many factors.”
Zhang called on “all parties concerned” to “stay cool-headed and rational, and commit themselves to enhancing dialogue and consultation to resolve relevant issues through negotiations.”
He said China’s “position on safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states has been consistent,” and urged both sides to address each others’ “legitimate security concerns in line with the principles of the UN Charter.”
– Tucker Reals, Pam Falk, Svetlana Berdnikova
U.S. Ambassador to Russia staying put to keep diplomatic channel open
U.S. officials told CBS News on Thursday that there were no plans to move America’s ambassador in Moscow out of the Russian capital as Russia carried out what Ukraine’s foreign minister called a “full-scale invasion” of his country.
One American official said it would be the U.S. Embassy in Moscow’s goal to remain in a position to keep diplomatic communication open and to convey any messages from Washington to Vladimir Putin’s government.
A diplomatic source told CBS News that it was particularly important to keep the American ambassador in Moscow given the extremely low staffing of the embassy at this point following Russia’s expulsion of some employees, including the second-in-command.
MAXIM SHEMETOV/REUTERS
NATO to “further strengthen deterrence and defence” in region amid “horrifying” attack on Ukraine
The North Atlantic Council, the governing political body of the transatlantic NATO military alliance, warned on Thursday that Russia would “pay a very heavy economic and political price” for its attack on Ukraine.
“It is Russia, and Russia alone, which has chosen escalation,” the Council said in a statement, calling Moscow’s decision to invade Ukraine “a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security” that would have “geostrategic consequences.”
Ukraine is not a NATO member, but the alliance has made it clear that Russia’s actions are considered a threat not only to its neighbor, but to the wider European community, and the Council said it would “continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the security and defence of all Allies.”
The Council said it had “decided, in line with our defensive planning to protect all Allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defence across the Alliance” — measures that it stressed were “preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory.”
The statement called on Russia to “immediately cease its military action and withdraw” all of its forces from Ukraine and around its borders, condemning Moscow for the “horrifying attack on Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked.”
Residents rush to gas up and get out of Kyiv
CBS News visited a gas station in Kyiv on Thursday morning and saw dozens of cars lined up for fuel as a second round of Russian shelling hit the city.
One man said he had heard explosions overnight and was filling up his tank to leave Kyiv, “just to be on the safe side if anything happens.”
“In my case, I have a small house next to the city, so there’s totally nothing to bomb in the village. So, just to be on the safe side, I have an option to be here or to be there, so just now I’m ready to be there… I have to. I have a family. I have to.”
There were also long lines at ATM machines around the capital as residents flocked to take out their cash.
Ethan Swope/Bloomberg via Getty
Russians claim Ukraine’s security services plotting “fake videos” of civilian mass-casualty events
As Russian shelling hit Ukrainian military installations on Thursday, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Ukrainian forces were plotting “provocations,” including what it suggested were to be fake videos showing “mass casualties among the civilian population.”
Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said Ukrainian security services were “preparing provocations according to the patterns of the White Helmets with staged videos,” referring to civilian rescue teams in Syria who have responded for years to attacks on civilians in that country.
Russia has accused the emergency Syrian medics of faking attacks perpetrated by Russian and Syrian government forces amid that country’s civil war. The U.S. and its allies have accused Russia and Syria of deliberately targeting hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in territory held by Western backed Syrian rebels — and of targeting the White Helmets directly.
“We draw the attention of the media that the Security Service of Ukraine is preparing and is already implementing provocations according to the well-known patterns of the White Helmets. Staged video filming was conducted in Ukrainian cities with allegedly ‘mass casualties’ among the civilian population of Ukraine,” Konashenkov claimed.
– Svetlana Berdnikova, Tucker Reals
Ukraine’s leader calls for support amid Putin’s war “against the whole democratic world”
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky addressed his nation as Russian troops reportedly crossed into the country, asking his people to stay strong and be wary of false information, and promising hourly updates.
“I will provide you with updated and verified information every hour,” Zelensky said. “Now we are attacked by bombs as well as fakes. It is important to receive truth from the official sources. Today, Russia started invasion of Ukraine. Putin started a war against Ukraine, against the whole democratic world. He wants to destroy my country. He wants to destroy our country, everything we have been building, what we live for.”
Praising the country’s troops for defending its borders, Zelensky urged all Ukrainians to remain calm and support the military’s efforts: “Let’s not panic. Let’s do everything that is needed to support armed forces of Ukraine.”
Presidential Handout
The president, who spoke from an undisclosed location in Ukraine, said he had spoken to President Biden, as well as leaders across Europe, and that they had started to create an “anti-Putin coalition.”
“I have already called on world leaders to impose all possible sanctions against Putin, start full-scale defense support,” he said. “Together, we must save Ukraine, save democratic world. We will do it. Glory to Ukraine!”
Residents stock up in eastern city of Kharkiv amid shelling
CBS
People in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv lined up to buy groceries on Thursday, clearing store shelves of some basic goods after Russian shelling was heard nearby.
CBS News saw smoke rise from the site of one blast in or near Kharkiv on Thursday morning amid reports that military facilities and warehouses were being targeted around various Ukrainian cities.
– Haley Ott, Holly Williams and Erin Lyall
U.N. Security Council: From pleas for restraint, to condemnation
As the United Nations Security Council was in emergency session Wednesday night in a last-ditch effort to ward off a Russian invasion of Ukraine, word began filtering in that an attack was beginning.
At that point, Ukrainian U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said, “It’s too late, my dear colleagues, too late to speak about de-escalation. The Russian president declared the war. It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war.”
As he spoke, Kyslytsya pointedly showed video on his phone to Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who was across the room.
As stunned diplomats were exiting the meeting, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressed Putin directly, saying, “President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia. This conflict must stop now.”
And U.S. U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and our allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”
-Pamela Falk, Brian Dakss
Early claims of deaths, injuries
The Ukrainian National Police say six people were killed and seven wounded in a bombing in the Odessa region city of Podolsk, adding that 19 people were missing.
And another person was killed and two more injured in shelling in the city of Mariupol in the Donetsk region, the National Police said.
U.S. Embassy in Ukraine issues alert
The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said in a security alert early Thursday that, “There are reports of Russian attacks on targets in a number of major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mariupol, and others. U.S. citizens in Ukraine are advised to shelter in place” and take other steps to try to stay safe if explosions or sirens are heard.
“Further Russian military action can occur at any time without warning. U.S. citizens throughout Ukraine are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness,” the alert said.
–Brian Dakss, Li Cohen
Already, conflicting claims on air war
Russia’s defense ministry said Thursday it had neutralized Ukrainian military air bases and its air defense systems, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military offensive against his country’s neighbor.
“Military infrastructure at Ukrainian army air bases has been rendered out of action,” the defense ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies, adding that Kyiv’s air defense systems were “eliminated.”
But the Ukrainian military claimed Thursday that it had downed five Russian planes and a helicopter in the east of the country near a rebel-held enclave.
“According to the Joint Forces Command, today, February 24, in the area of the Joint Forces operation, five planes and a helicopter of the aggressors were shot down,” the army general staff said.
CBS/AFP
Ukrainian president declares martial law
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law, urging citizens to not panic as Russia launches military strikes.
Zelensky said Russia has targeted Ukraine’s military infrastructure and explosions are being heard across the country. Zelensky said he had just talked to President Biden and that the U.S. was rallying international support for Ukraine. He urged Ukrainians to stay home.
Biden says he spoke with Zelensky about Russia’s “unjustified attack”
President Biden released a statement early Thursday morning, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reached out to him and the two spoke about Russia’s “unjustified attack.”
The call took place shortly before midnight ET, a White House official confirmed.
“I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the United Nations Security Council,” Mr. Biden said in the statement. “He asked me 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. Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
-Sophie Reardon, Bo Erickson
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vows decisive response from U.K. and allies
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned Putin for his “unprovoked attack” on Ukraine and vowed that the United Kingdom and its allies “will respond decisively.”
“I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps,” Johnson tweeted. “President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.”
The U.K. imposed economic sanctions on five Russian banks and three oligarchs earlier this week in response to Putin’s decision to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine as independent. Johnson told the House of Commons on Tuesday the U.K. had additional sanctions at the ready if Russia escalated.
Russian Ministry of Defense claims it is not attacking Ukrainian cities
The Russian Ministry of Defense told state-run news agency RIA Novosti that the Russian military is not carrying out any missile, air or artillery strikes on the cities of Ukraine.
“The military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being disabled with high-precision weapons,” the agency said.
Nothing threatens the civilian population, the Ministry of Defense said.
Despite that claim, CBS News correspondents reported hearing loud blasts in the capital city of Kyiv and in the eastern city of Kharkiv shortly after Putin announced the military operation had begun.
Biden briefed on Russia’s attack on Ukraine by members of national security team
President Biden was briefed on a secure call about the ongoing attack by Russian forces against Ukraine by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted.
The president is monitoring the situation from the residence at the White House.
-Melissa Quinn, Nancy Cordes
Ukraine’s foreign minister is heading back to the country, official says
A Ukrainian official said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is on a plane back to the country, although the air space is closed. He had been in the U.S. for high-level meetings.
Kuleba told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that “the beginning of a large-scale war in Ukraine will be the end of the world order as we know it.”
Kuleba met with President Biden in Washington on Tuesday, with the White House saying the meeting was to “reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Kuleba also met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and appeared in a joint press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
NATO secretary general condemns Russia’s “reckless and unprovoked attack”
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared Russia’s attack “reckless and unprovoked,” and said NATO will do all it must to protect its members.
“Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country,” he said.
Stoltenberg called Russia’s attack a “grave breach of international law, and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security,” and urged Russia to immediately cease all military action.
“NATO Allies will meet to address the consequences of Russia’s aggressive actions,” he added. “We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time. NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend all Allies.”
Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.N. calls on Russia to relinquish leadership of Security Council
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya lambasted Russia during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council Wednesday night and called on its ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, to give up his seat as president of the council over its attack on Ukraine. (The presidency of the U.N. Security Council rotates on a monthly basis among the 15 members. February 2022 is Russia’s month.)
“I was intending to ask the Russian ambassador to confirm on the record that the Russian troops will not start firing at Ukrainians today and go ahead with the offensive,” Kyslytsya said. “It became useless 48 minutes ago, because about 48 minutes ago, your president declared war on Ukraine.”
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
The Ukrainian ambassador called for Nebenzia to state “on the record” that Russian forces at this moment are not bombing Ukrainian cities, and troops are not moving into the country.
“You have a smartphone. You can call Lavrov right now,” he said, in reference to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Kyslytsya continued, “If you are not in a position to give an affirmative answer, the Russian Federation ought to relinquish responsibilities of the president of the Security Council, pass these responsibilities on to a legitimate member of the Security Council, a member that is respectful of the charter.”
The Ukrainian ambassador told Security Council members it’s “too late” to speak about an escalation of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“The Russian president declared the war on the record. Should I play the video of your president, ambassador? Should I do that? You can confirm it,” he told the Russian envoy. “It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war, so I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war.”
In response to Kyslytsya’s remarks, Nebenzia declined to disturb Lavrov and rejected the characterization of Russia’s actions as “a war.”
“This isn’t called a war — this is called a special military opportunity in the Donbas,” he said.
Kyslytsya reiterated his call for Russia’s representative at the U.N. to relinquish his duties and declared “There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador.”
Ukrainian foreign minister says the country “will win” in Russia’s “war of aggression”
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, tweeted that Ukraine “will defend itself and will win.”
“Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes,” he wrote. “This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.”
Hope for diplomatic solution evaporates
Congressional leaders were notified of the Russian attack on Ukraine before it began. Two U.S. officials told CBS News that while diplomatic activity will continue, there appears to be little hope of a diplomatic solution at this point. Any continued diplomatic measures would be aimed at underscoring moral outrage of the international community and maintaining unity on sanctions, the officials said.
Emergency meetings are expected to be called at the U.N., NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. G7 and EU leaders may gather as well.
–Margaret Brennan, Mary Hager
Warner says now is the time to “up the pain level for the Russian government”
Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, denounced Russia’s attack on Ukraine and said now is the time to “up the pain level for the Russian government.”
“For more than 70 years, we have avoided large-scale war in Europe. With his illegal invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has tragically brought decades of general peace to an end,” Warner said.
“Now the U.S. and our NATO allies must stand united and resolute against Putin’s efforts to renew the Russian empire at the expense of the Ukrainian people. President Biden has already imposed an initial tranche of sanctions, and it is now time for us to up the pain level for the Russian government. We should also continue to bolster the defenses of our NATO allies while exploring how we can further help the Ukrainian people in their time of need.”
Warner added that the attack on Ukraine “is a tragedy not only for Ukraine, but for the Russian people as well.”
“They will pay a steep cost for Putin’s reckless ambition, in blood and in economic harm,” he said.
Biden to speak Thursday and announce “further consequences” for Russia
President Biden will deliver remarks early Thursday afternoon to announce “further consequences” the U.S. and its allies will impose on Russia for its attack on Ukraine, a White House official tells reporters.
Exactly when the remarks will take place has yet to be announced. The president will be at the White House all day Thursday.
Ukraine says “cruise and ballistic missiles strikes are underway” in Kyiv
A Ukrainian government spokesperson confirmed early Thursday that “cruise and ballistic missile strikes are underway at the control centers” in Kyiv.
Biden: “The world will hold Russia accountable”
President Biden condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified attack” by Russian forces.
“The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” the president said in a statement.
“Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”
The president said he would be monitoring the developments from the White House and receiving updates from his national security team. He is also scheduled to meet with Group of 7 leaders on Thursday morning and plans to address the nation “to announce the further consequences the United States and our allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security.”
The U.S. will also coordinate with NATO allies “to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance,” Mr. Biden said.
Explosions mark beginning of Russian invasion of Ukraine
Explosions heard by CBS News journalists in Kyiv and Kharkiv are the beginning of a Russian invasion, a NATO official confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin.
This shelling is expected to continue up until daybreak, and then ground operations will begin. That could potentially include airborne troops, either carried by helicopters or jumping as paratroopers. That would likely be followed by tanks coming across the border in a “classic invasion force” going into Ukraine, Martin reports.
-David Martin, Kathryn Watson
Russia facing sanctions, “further consequences” to come
In response to Putin’s recognition of the breakaway regions, Mr. Biden issued an executive order barring “new investment, trade and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in” Donetsk and Luhansk and imposing sanctions that target the regions.
Mr. Biden also imposed economic sanctions on two Russian banks, VEB and Promsvyazbank, and five Russian oligarchs, as well as on Nord Stream 2 AG, the company building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and its corporate officers in response to Russia’s escalating aggression against Ukraine.
The White House has stressed the measures make up a first tranche of sanctions, issued alongside Western allies, with the U.S. and partners poised to impose harsher penalties if Russia continued to escalate.
Mr. Biden said in a statement he will announce “further consequences” on Russia for the attack on Ukraine on Thursday.
Biden “closely monitoring” developments in Ukraine, White House says
President Biden is “closely monitoring” the developments in Ukraine and is receiving updates from national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted ahead of Putin’s remarks announcing the “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine.
Psaki said the president also spoke with U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield before the U.N. Security Council meeting Wednesday evening.
27m ago Russia’s attack on Ukraine ignites protests across the globe Ukrainian Americans rallied outside the White House on Thursday, calling for stiffer sanctions against Russia and more military support for Ukraine. At the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., “murder” was spray-painted in red outside the compound’s gates on the sidewalk. There were also protests in Austin, Chicago, Denver and New York City. There were also demonstrations abroad in London, Berlin and Moscow, where more than 900 were arrested protesting the attack. Ukrainian Americans rally against Russian invasion 01:22 42m ago Ukrainians shelter in subway stations as Russia attacks Ukrainians were sheltering in Kharkiv’s subway stations after Russia launched missiles and airstrikes. Andriy Ostapenko showed CBS News correspondent Holly Williams where he and hundreds of others will likely sleep — the city’s subway — after they fled their homes. With the train’s halted, people camped out with their children and pets. Marina Omelyanenko and her mother told CBS News that they heard it was too dangerous to flee the city by road. “It will be really scary to stay at home. At night it will be dark,” she said. Ukrainian civilians seek safety as missiles fall 02:27 59m ago DHS to lead response to possible Russia-related impacts on U.S. President Biden chose the Department of Homeland Security to “coordinate domestic preparedness and response efforts related to the current Russia-Ukraine crisis,” the agency said in a statement Thursday.”As lead Federal agency, DHS has established a Unified Coordination Group (UCG) to ensure unity of effort across the Federal Government in preparing for and responding to possible threats to the homeland; develop and pursue strategic objectives and priorities; and coordinate with Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials, as well as representatives of the private sector and nongovernmental entities in support of these objectives and priorities,” it said.The DHS reiterated that there are no current credible threats against the U.S. 8:23 PM In speech about Russia’s attack, Zelensky says “the enemy has marked me as target No. 1″ Zelensky said Thursday night that Russia has marked him as its top target, and his family as a close second.”They want to damage Ukraine politically by destroying the head of state,” he remarked. In a late-night address to his nation on Thursday, Ukraine’s President said, “the enemy has marked me as target No. 1.” https://t.co/UVbAPC9IMU pic.twitter.com/zdY9XFyCH9— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 25, 2022 7:31 PM Ukraine’s president says 137 people died in first day of fighting In a late-night video address to his country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said 137 Ukrainians died on Thursday, the first day of fighting after Russia began its attack on the country.”Today we have lost 137 of our heroes, our citizens. Military and civilian,” Zelensky said, adding that another 316 people had been injured. In a video address to his nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainians died and 316 were wounded on the first day of Russia’s invasion: “Let those who gave their lives for Ukraine be remembered forever,” he said in Ukrainian. https://t.co/G8090VdzzD pic.twitter.com/PqqdUXgJOm— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 25, 2022 6:53 PM / February 24, 2022 White House “outraged” by reports of Russia taking hostages at Chernobyl White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the Biden administration was “outraged” by what she said are “credible reports” that Russian forces have taken hostages at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.”This unlawful and dangerous hostage-taking, which could upend the routine civil service efforts required to maintain and protect the nuclear waste facilities, is obviously incredibly alarming and greatly concerning. We condemn it and we request their release,” she said during Thursday’s press briefing.She said the administration is in touch with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and that the U.S. is “working to provide him with a range of support” and knows where he is located.Mr. Biden did not have a call with Zelensky on Thursday, but he had an hourlong meeting in the morning with his national security team and a virtual meeting with leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations, which spanned several hours.The president also spoke for an hour Thursday afternoon with Republican and Democratic congressional leaders on a secure call, briefing them on the situation on the ground in Ukraine and fielding questions, Psaki said. 6:02 PM / February 24, 2022 Men aged 18 to 60 barred from leaving Ukraine under martial law Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been temporarily barred from leaving the country. The State Border Guard Service told CBS News’ Erin Lyall it’s a result of President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring martial law following Russia’s attack on the country.”Such a rule will apply for the period of martial law,” the border guard said in a statement. “We ask citizens to take this information into account.” 5:09 PM / February 24, 2022 U.N. chief says Russian invasion is wrong but “not irreversible” United Nations – U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres called Russia’s military offensive “wrong” and “unacceptable” but “not irreversible.”Guterres had a message for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin: “Stop the military operation. Bring the troops back to Russia.”The U.N. chief said the protection of civilians is the first priority of the United Nations and it was “scaling up” its humanitarian operations in and around Ukraine. He also announced the allocation of $20 million from an emergency response fund to meet urgent needs.”We and our humanitarian partners are committed to staying and delivering, to support people in Ukraine in their time of need,” he said.The secretary-general’s spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, told CBS News some personnel were being relocated and staff were instructed to “take necessary precautions.””A core group of mission-critical staff remains working in the areas around the line of contact,” Dujarric said.Guterres said U.N. staff are “working on both sides of the contact line, always guided by the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence.”As of Thursday, the number of U.N. staff in Ukraine is 1,573, Farhan Haq, the secretary-general’s deputy spokesman, told CBS News.”Some staff are being relocated, but some others came in as surge capacity over the past day,” Haq said.Other agencies of the U.N. have personnel in Ukraine. The World Food Program is also staying.”We are deeply concerned about the evolving conflict in Ukraine and its potential impact on access to food for civilians in affected areas and on our operations globally,” said David Beasley, the agency’s executive director.”The Black Sea basin is one of the world’s most important areas for grain and agricultural production, and the food-security impact of the conflict will likely be felt beyond Ukraine’s border, especially on the poorest of the poor,” he said.The agency said an interruption to the flow of grain out of the region will “increase prices and add further fuel to food inflation at a time when its affordability is a concern across the globe following the economic damage” from the COVID-19 pandemic. 4:33 PM / February 24, 2022 U.S. sending 7,000 more troops to Germany The U.S. is deploying 7,000 additional troops to Germany in response to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday, as President Biden warned that the U.S. will “defend every inch of NATO territory with the full force of American power.”The additional troops “will deploy to Germany to reassure NATO Allies, deter Russian aggression and be prepared to support a range of requirements in the region,” the official said in a statement. “We expect them to depart in the coming days.” What the U.S. can do to counter Russian invasion into Ukraine 06:58 In his remarks Thursday, Mr. Biden said he was “authorizing additional U.S. force capabilities to deploy to Germany as part of NATO’s response, including some of the U.S.-based forces that the Department of Defense placed on standby weeks ago.”Mr. Biden reiterated that no U.S. troops would be involved in defending Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO, but stressed that the U.S. is ready to come to the aid of NATO partners in Eastern Europe in the event of a Russian incursion. He said he and his military advisers had also discussed the possibility of “additional moves should they become necessary to protect our NATO allies and support the greatest military alliance in the history of the world.” 3:55 PM / February 24, 2022 Biden says new sanctions won’t include pulling Russia’s access to SWIFT The U.S. slapped a number of Russian financial institutions and “elite” individuals with sanctions Thursday over the invasion of Ukraine, but President Biden ruled out removing Russia from the SWIFT banking system despite calls to do so from a number of U.S. lawmakers, world leaders and Ukrainian officials.”It is always an option — but right now, that’s not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take,” Mr. Biden said in a speech at the White House. The president also suggested the sanctions on other banks may be of more consequence than taking action on SWIFT. Biden unveils new sanctions as Russia attacks Ukraine 02:23 SWIFT is a member-owned cooperative founded in 1973 that provides secure global financial messaging services. It links more than 11,000 institutions in more than 200 countries. According to SWIFT, in 2021, an average of 42 million payments and securities transactions were processed each day using their messaging, a more than 11% increase from the year before.Headquartered in Belgium, shareholders elect the board composed of 25 independent directors, which governs the company and oversees its management. Each country’s use of the messaging services determines both the SWIFT shareholding allocations and the number of directors they are entitled to. Russia is on the board.Despite Mr. Biden leaving action regarding SWIFT off the table for now, the U.K. foreign secretary indicated the country is working with allies to exclude Russia from the financial system.This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Russia to be banned from SWIFT. Multiple U.S. lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, have signaled they support the move. Updated 2:44 PM / February 24, 2022 Biden unveils new sanctions on Russia for “premeditated attack” President Biden declared Russia’s continuing assault on Ukraine a “premeditated attack” and announced additional economic sanctions the U.S. and Western allies will impose on Russia in response to its aggressive actions.”Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war. And now he and his country will bear the consequences,” Mr. Biden said during remarks at the White House. Special Report: President Biden addresses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 25:50 The president announced the U.S. will impose sanctions on four of Russia’s largest banks, in addition to two financial institutions the U.S. sanctioned earlier this week, meaning “every asset they have in America will be frozen,” he said. The U.S. and Western allies are also imposing new export controls, which Mr. Biden said will block more than half of Russia’s high-tech imports and strike a blow to Moscow’s military and technological capabilities.-Kathryn Watson and Melissa QuinnRead more here 1:33 PM / February 24, 2022 Ukrainian official says Russia has taken control of Chernobyl nuclear plant An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country has lost control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after Ukrainian forces fought to defend it from Russian troops, according to reports.Myhailo Podolyak, the adviser, was quoted by The Associated Press and other news agencies as saying that after a “senseless attack of the Russians… it is impossible to say that the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe.”Zelensky warned earlier on Thursday that Russian troops were attempting to seize the abandoned and sealed up nuclear site, an effort he called “a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.” Chernobyl: Where time stands still 21 photos Chernobyl was the scene of the 1986 nuclear disaster following an explosion in the Soviet-era plant. Scores of people were evacuated from the highly contaminated area following the meltdown, and at least 32 people died because of the blast and its immediate aftermath. Thousands of cases of cancer have been linked to the disaster in the years since. 1:27 PM / February 24, 2022 Ukrainian lawmaker breaks down, begs world to “save our people” Ukrainian Parliament member Halyna Yanchenko broke down in tears on CBS News Thursday as she made an emotional plea to the world: “Please, save our people. Dozens of people, maybe hundreds of people might be murdered tonight,” she said. A Ukrainian lawmaker’s plea for help 06:20 Vladimir Putin said his forces would not attack Ukrainian cities, but the initial battery of shelling on Thursday hit military targets in and near many of the country’s biggest population centers. CBS News journalists in Kyiv saw damage to non-military infrastructure that appeared to suggest that at least some of Russia’s missiles had failed to hit their targets.Ukrainian authorities have provided no death or casualty figures, but a senior government official said early in the day that “dozens” of Ukrainian military forces had been killed in Russia’s attack. 1:01 PM / February 24, 2022 Ukrainians grapple with reality that Russia could try to take Kyiv Up until the day before Russia launched its full-scale attack on their country, Ukrainians in the capital city of Kyiv said they didn’t expect Vladimir Putin to invade the way he has. On Thursday, they woke up to attacks on the capital, and they reacted in their numbers. Ukrainians face reality that Russia may try to take Kyiv 03:44 This morning, cars were backed up on the highways trying to get out of Kyiv. CBS News saw long lines at a gas station as people tried to fill up for the exodus, and some who are staying in Kyiv decided to take shelter in subway stations and underground car parks. So while they may have never expected this to happen, they’re certainly responding now. “People have clearly decided that they want to get out of here”: CBS News’ Haley Ott reports outside a gas station in Kyiv, where a line for fuel stretches all the way down a highway after Russia launched its attack on Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/NK7n4NGtf7— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 24, 2022 12:10 PM / February 24, 2022 Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S.: “It’s a war against Ukraine” Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s characterization of the action he ordered against Ukraine as a “special military operation” and said Russian forces had “launched a war” against her country.”Make no mistake,” Markarova told reporters during a press conference at Ukraine’s embassy in Washington, “it’s not a military operation or whatever it was called yesterday in Donetsk or Luhansk. It’s a war against Ukraine.”The Ukrainian ambassador said her country had been fighting to repel “simultaneous” attacks from three sides, as well as from the air since the overnight hours.Marakova joined other Ukrainian officials in calling for the U.S. and its partners to impose “devastating” sanctions on Russia, including cutting it off from SWIFT, a system used by most large financial institutions to carry out international transactions, and to cut diplomatic ties with Moscow. I will not be diplomatic on this. Everyone who now doubts whether Russia should be banned from SWIFT has to understand that the blood of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will be on their hands too. BAN RUSSIA FROM SWIFT.— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022 “We do not expect anyone to fight for us, but we expect all the help and all the response the West can send to us,” she said, adding, “it’s the moment when it’s not okay for anyone who values peace to continue business as usual with Russia.”Markarova said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was still in Ukraine, but she would not say if he was still in the capital of Kyiv.”We will defend our country, and we are not scared,” she said. 11:59 AM / February 24, 2022 U.S. official says initial Russian barrage included 100 missiles, 75 bombers The U.S. observed Russian forces firing roughly 100 missiles from both land and sea against targets in Ukraine beginning around 4:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters. The initial barrage included short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles, the official said. About 75 fixed-wing Russian bombers were used in the onslaught, with targets focused on military depots and air defense systems, according to the official.Several hours later, the U.S. observed some ground incursions from Belarus into Ukraine, northwest of Kyiv. The Russian offensive is operating on three fronts, the official said: from Crimea in the south; from the north in Belarus into Ukraine, and from Ukraine’s northeast border with Russia toward the south, toward the city of Kharkiv. Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, is the site of the heaviest fighting, the official said. Teen in Ukraine describes chaotic scenes as Russia attacks 08:40 “It is likely you will see this unfold in multiple phases. How many? How long? We don’t know. But what we’re seeing are the initial phases of a large-scale invasion,” the official said, adding that there hasn’t been “a conventional move like this, nation state to nation state, since World War II, certainly nothing in this size and scope and scale.”The official said the Russians are “making a move on Kyiv, but what they’re going to do in Kyiv, it’s hard to say.””It’s our assessment 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 said. 11:47 AM / February 24, 2022 General H.R. McMaster on what motivated Putin to invade Ukraine Former U.S. National Security Advisor and veteran military commander General H.R. McMaster appeared Thursday on “CBS Mornings” and said in his estimation, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was driven “by an obsession with restoring Russia to national greatness” — by way of dragging his neighbors down with Russia.”His plan to do that is not to make Russia great, it’s really to drag everybody else down,” McMaster said, suggesting the Russian president’s thinking “goes back to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — what Putin saw as a disaster. And what Putin has been driven by since that time, since he took over the year 2000, you know, 22 years ago, he’s been driven by an obsession with restoring Russia to national greatness.””You’re seeing this sustained campaign against any of the former territories of the Soviet Union… really designed to restore Russian influence,” he said. Watch the full interview here: Former national security adviser General H.R. McMaster discusses Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 04:07 Updated 11:35 AM / February 24, 2022 European soccer league holds crisis meeting as championship final pulled from Russia Europe’s UEFA soccer league called an extraordinary meeting of its executive committee for Friday to discuss the deepening crisis between Russia and Ukraine, with its governing body set to move the final of this season’s Champions League on May 28, which is due to take place in Saint Petersburg’s Krestovsky Stadium, after Russia stepped up its campaign against its neighbor with a military invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning.”Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine in the last 24 hours, the UEFA President has decided to call an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for Friday 25 February at 10:00 CET, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions,” said a statement. “Further communication will be made after the meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee.” Read the full story on CBSSports.com. Updated 11:28 AM / February 24, 2022 Russians join anti-war protests as prominent artists and journalists reject Putin’s claims Many Russians woke up on Thursday dismayed to learn that their president had announced “a special military operation” in separatist controlled regions of eastern Ukraine. There was dismay as Russians watched videos purportedly showing Russian forces firing at Ukrainian police. A demonstrator holds a sign during an anti-war protest in St. Petersburg, Russia, after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine, February 24, 2022. The placard reads: “No to war!” ANTON VAGANOV/REUTERS Instagram and Twitter feeds were filled with posts expressing shame and condemnation of Putin. Media outlets, including student outlet DOXA and independent news site Meduza, launched a “No to War” campaign or issued editorial letters urging Russia to cease its military activities.Russian media reported demonstrations in 300-400 people had gathered on Pushkin Square in Moscow, shouting “No to war.” Police had detained several people but were not dispersing the group, according to some reports.As street protests reportedly got underway in St. Petersburg in the west and Perm in central Russia, a group of more than a dozen prominent Russian artists and journalists signed an open letter calling for protests and an end to the invasion. Russians are gathering for anti-war protests. This is Novosibirsk. Earlier today activists have been detained pretty much immediately — Moscow is now also preparing for the demos. Last winter we saw that crackdowns have gotten much harsher. https://t.co/1OT5fXGctF— Mary Ilyushina (@maryilyushina) February 24, 2022 “We do not want our children to live in an aggressor country, so that they are ashamed that their army attacked a neighboring independent state. We call on all citizens of Russia to say no to this war,” the group said in the letter posted online by journalist Mikhail Zygar, founder of the independent TV channel Dozhd.”We do not believe that an independent Ukraine poses a threat to Russia or any other state. We do not believe Vladimir Putin’s claims that the Ukrainian people are under the rule of ‘Nazis’ and need to be ‘liberated’,” the statement said. “We demand an end to this war.”Russian authorities earlier warned people in the country that joining unsanctioned demonstrations could lead to their arrest. The independent rights monitoring group OVD.Info said Russian police had detained more than 160 people in 24 cities across Russia on Thursday. Updated 10:57 AM / February 24, 2022 Ukraine’s leader says Russian troops trying to seize Chernobyl nuclear plant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russian forces are attempting to seize the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the site of the 1986 nuclear disaster.”Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the #Chornobyl_NPP. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. Reported this to @SwedishPM. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” Zelensky tweeted.The explosion and fires at the site more than 35 years ago sent radiation into the air, with large amounts carried over Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Scores of people were evacuated from the area following the meltdown, and at least 32 people died because of the blast and its immediate aftermath. February 18, 1990: The abandoned city of Pripyat 01:06 Roughly 11,000 cases of thyroid cancer since then may be linked to the disaster, according to a 2016 report from the World Health Organization. The area around the reactor is off-limits to the public. 10:45 AM / February 24, 2022 Biden to speak on Russia’s “unprovoked and unjustified” attack on Ukraine President Biden is set to address the American people on Thursday afternoon after Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine. He is expected to announce additional sanctions the U.S. and Western allies will impose on Russia in response.Mr. Biden condemned what he called an “unprovoked and unjustified attack” on Ukraine in a statement issued late on Wednesday evening in Washington, after Russia began launching missile strikes against targets in Ukrainian cities, including the capital of Kyiv. The president accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of choosing “a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”You will be able to watch Mr. Biden’s remarks live in the CBS News live player at the top of this page, or at this link. He is expected to speak at 12:30 p.m. Eastern in the East Room of the White House after a meeting with Group of 7 leaders, many of whom joined the U.S. in issuing widespread condemnation of Russia’s attack. Updated 10:58 AM / February 24, 2022 Moscow warns Russians of “consequences” of joining anti-war protests Russian authorities on Thursday warned anti-war sympathizers against gathering for protests over President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The Investigative Committee, a government body that investigates major crimes, warned Russians of legal repercussions for joining unsanctioned protests related to “the tense foreign political situation.”It said it was responding to social media calls to protest against Putin’s decision to attack Ukraine.”One should be aware of the negative legal consequences of these actions in the form of prosecution up to criminal liability,” it said.The Russian interior ministry said it would take “all necessary measures to ensure public order.”Russia has strict protest laws and demonstrations often end in mass arrests. Some Russians called on social media for people to take to the streets to protest against the Ukraine attack, and pictures soon emerged of a demonstration in the western city of St. Petersburg.A video posted on the Telegram social media app, which is popular in Russia, showed an elderly woman being detained by police while holding a sign showing the Ukrainian flag and the words “No to War.” – CBS/AFP Updated 9:47 AM / February 24, 2022 Residents in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, seek shelter in metro station Ukrainians took shelter in train stations on Thursday as Russia’s bombardment continued. In Kyiv, there were social media reports of people gathering below ground with luggage and plans to wait out the night.In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city which sits only about 30 miles from the border with Russia, CBS News saw people gathering in subway stations and parked trains, which appeared to have been turned off. Civilians take shelter in a metro station in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine, amid a Russian military invasion and shelling in the area. Erin Lyall/CBS Families were sitting on platforms and in the trains, some of them with small children. – Holly Williams, Erin Lyall and Haley Ott Updated 8:56 AM / February 24, 2022 Putin said he wouldn’t occupy Ukraine, but he also said he wouldn’t invade CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams said that after weeks of warnings from Washington that a Russian invasion was imminent, when it came down to it, there was almost no direct warning before missiles started falling on Wednesday evening. Just minutes after Vladimir Putin announced his country’s military operation, Williams and her team heard the thuds of what they assumed to be missile strikes close to their location in the eastern city of Kharkiv, only around 30 miles from the Russian border. Inside Ukraine as Russia attacks 03:47 Putin said Wednesday night, that his government’s plans “do not include an occupation,” but given that Russia denied for months any plans to invade Ukraine at all, it’s not clear how much faith could be put in his statement. Ukraine said Thursday that Russian forces were coming across the country’s borders — including just near in Kharkiv, but Williams said there was no sign of them yet in the city. Updated 8:27 AM / February 24, 2022 Ukraine says “dozens” of troops killed and Russian forces crossing border in Kyiv region Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service said on Thursday that Russian forces had begun breaking through the country’s border in the Kyiv region. The Ukrainian military and border guards were working to defend the crossing, they said, but Russian vehicles had made it through one crossing point.Oleksiy Arestovich, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said during a briefing on Thursday that “dozens of Ukrainian servicemen has been confirmed” killed amid Russia’s attacks. 8:08 AM / February 24, 2022 Jailed Russian opposition leader Navalny calls war a diversion tactic by Putin Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny said Thursday he was against Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, even as he appeared remotely from a Russian prison for his latest court hearing.”I am against this war,” Navalny was heard saying in a video of the trial published by independent news outlet Dozhd. “This war between Russia and Ukraine was unleashed to cover up the theft from Russian citizens and divert their attention from problems that exist inside the country.”Wearing a prison uniform, Navalny said the war would “lead to a huge number of victims, destroyed futures and the continuation of this line of impoverishment of the citizens of Russia.” He is being tried from inside a maximum security prison outside Moscow on fresh charges that could see his time behind bars extended by a decade. His allies have said the trial — which opened last week — has been purposefully timed to coincide with the Ukraine crisis. Navalny has been behind bars for a year on old fraud charges, after surviving a poison attack he and the West blame on the Kremlin. Visibly gaunt Alexei Navalny makes first public appearance since hunger strike 01:29 7:49 AM / February 24, 2022 Russia says China “agreed” that Ukraine and U.S. to blame for current crisis Russia said on Thursday that China had given its backing for President Vladimir Putin’s military attack on neighboring Ukraine, claiming that the Russian and Chinese Foreign Ministers had held a phone call during which they “agreed that the reason for the current crisis was Kyiv’s refusal, encouraged by the United States and its allies, to implement” ceasefire agreements hashed out almost eight years ago between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces.”It was emphasized that Russia and China insist on the need for all countries to respect the principle of the indivisibility of security,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.China accuses U.S. of “creating panic” over Ukraine crisisDuring a U.N. Security Council meeting on Wednesday night, after Russia began its attack on Ukraine, China’s Ambassador Zhang Jun said there was a “complex historical context for the Ukraine issue, and that the current situation is a result of the interplay of many factors.” Zhang called on “all parties concerned” to “stay cool-headed and rational, and commit themselves to enhancing dialogue and consultation to resolve relevant issues through negotiations.”He said China’s “position on safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states has been consistent,” and urged both sides to address each others’ “legitimate security concerns in line with the principles of the UN Charter.” – Tucker Reals, Pam Falk, Svetlana Berdnikova 7:12 AM / February 24, 2022 U.S. Ambassador to Russia staying put to keep diplomatic channel open U.S. officials told CBS News on Thursday that there were no plans to move America’s ambassador in Moscow out of the Russian capital as Russia carried out what Ukraine’s foreign minister called a “full-scale invasion” of his country.One American official said it would be the U.S. Embassy in Moscow’s goal to remain in a position to keep diplomatic communication open and to convey any messages from Washington to Vladimir Putin’s government. A diplomatic source told CBS News that it was particularly important to keep the American ambassador in Moscow given the extremely low staffing of the embassy at this point following Russia’s expulsion of some employees, including the second-in-command. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan leaves after visiting the Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in Moscow, Russia in a January 26, 2022 file photo. MAXIM SHEMETOV/REUTERS 6:55 AM / February 24, 2022 NATO to “further strengthen deterrence and defence” in region amid “horrifying” attack on Ukraine The North Atlantic Council, the governing political body of the transatlantic NATO military alliance, warned on Thursday that Russia would “pay a very heavy economic and political price” for its attack on Ukraine. “It is Russia, and Russia alone, which has chosen escalation,” the Council said in a statement, calling Moscow’s decision to invade Ukraine “a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security” that would have “geostrategic consequences.”Ukraine is not a NATO member, but the alliance has made it clear that Russia’s actions are considered a threat not only to its neighbor, but to the wider European community, and the Council said it would “continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the security and defence of all Allies.”The Council said it had “decided, in line with our defensive planning to protect all Allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defence across the Alliance” — measures that it stressed were “preventive, proportionate and non-escalatory.”The statement called on Russia to “immediately cease its military action and withdraw” all of its forces from Ukraine and around its borders, condemning Moscow for the “horrifying attack on Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked.” Updated 6:32 AM / February 24, 2022 Residents rush to gas up and get out of Kyiv CBS News visited a gas station in Kyiv on Thursday morning and saw dozens of cars lined up for fuel as a second round of Russian shelling hit the city.One man said he had heard explosions overnight and was filling up his tank to leave Kyiv, “just to be on the safe side if anything happens.””In my case, I have a small house next to the city, so there’s totally nothing to bomb in the village. So, just to be on the safe side, I have an option to be here or to be there, so just now I’m ready to be there… I have to. I have a family. I have to.”There were also long lines at ATM machines around the capital as residents flocked to take out their cash. Customers wait in line to use an automated teller machine in Kyiv, Ukraine, amid shelling by the Russian military in the capital and elsewhere across the country, February 24, 2022. Ethan Swope/Bloomberg via Getty Updated 5:49 AM / February 24, 2022 Russians claim Ukraine’s security services plotting “fake videos” of civilian mass-casualty events As Russian shelling hit Ukrainian military installations on Thursday, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed Ukrainian forces were plotting “provocations,” including what it suggested were to be fake videos showing “mass casualties among the civilian population.”Major General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said Ukrainian security services were “preparing provocations according to the patterns of the White Helmets with staged videos,” referring to civilian rescue teams in Syria who have responded for years to attacks on civilians in that country.Russia has accused the emergency Syrian medics of faking attacks perpetrated by Russian and Syrian government forces amid that country’s civil war. The U.S. and its allies have accused Russia and Syria of deliberately targeting hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in territory held by Western backed Syrian rebels — and of targeting the White Helmets directly.”We draw the attention of the media that the Security Service of Ukraine is preparing and is already implementing provocations according to the well-known patterns of the White Helmets. Staged video filming was conducted in Ukrainian cities with allegedly ‘mass casualties’ among the civilian population of Ukraine,” Konashenkov claimed.- Svetlana Berdnikova, Tucker Reals 4:54 AM / February 24, 2022 Ukraine’s leader calls for support amid Putin’s war “against the whole democratic world” Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky addressed his nation as Russian troops reportedly crossed into the country, asking his people to stay strong and be wary of false information, and promising hourly updates.”I will provide you with updated and verified information every hour,” Zelensky said. “Now we are attacked by bombs as well as fakes. It is important to receive truth from the official sources. Today, Russia started invasion of Ukraine. Putin started a war against Ukraine, against the whole democratic world. He wants to destroy my country. He wants to destroy our country, everything we have been building, what we live for.” Praising the country’s troops for defending its borders, Zelensky urged all Ukrainians to remain calm and support the military’s efforts: “Let’s not panic. Let’s do everything that is needed to support armed forces of Ukraine.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses his nation on February 24, 2022. Presidential Handout The president, who spoke from an undisclosed location in Ukraine, said he had spoken to President Biden, as well as leaders across Europe, and that they had started to create an “anti-Putin coalition.””I have already called on world leaders to impose all possible sanctions against Putin, start full-scale defense support,” he said. “Together, we must save Ukraine, save democratic world. We will do it. Glory to Ukraine!” 4:30 AM / February 24, 2022 Residents stock up in eastern city of Kharkiv amid shelling People line up at a grocery story in Kharkiv, Ukraine, February 24, 2022, after Russian bombs struck targets around the city, according to Ukraine’s military. CBS People in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv lined up to buy groceries on Thursday, clearing store shelves of some basic goods after Russian shelling was heard nearby.CBS News saw smoke rise from the site of one blast in or near Kharkiv on Thursday morning amid reports that military facilities and warehouses were being targeted around various Ukrainian cities.- Haley Ott, Holly Williams and Erin Lyall 3:39 AM / February 24, 2022 U.N. Security Council: From pleas for restraint, to condemnation As the United Nations Security Council was in emergency session Wednesday night in a last-ditch effort to ward off a Russian invasion of Ukraine, word began filtering in that an attack was beginning.At that point, Ukrainian U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said, “It’s too late, my dear colleagues, too late to speak about de-escalation. The Russian president declared the war. It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war.”As he spoke, Kyslytsya pointedly showed video on his phone to Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who was across the room.As stunned diplomats were exiting the meeting, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressed Putin directly, saying, “President Putin, in the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia. This conflict must stop now.”And U.S. U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and our allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”-Pamela Falk, Brian Dakss 2:35 AM / February 24, 2022 Early claims of deaths, injuries The Ukrainian National Police say six people were killed and seven wounded in a bombing in the Odessa region city of Podolsk, adding that 19 people were missing.And another person was killed and two more injured in shelling in the city of Mariupol in the Donetsk region, the National Police said. 1:56 AM / February 24, 2022 U.S. Embassy in Ukraine issues alert The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine said in a security alert early Thursday that, “There are reports of Russian attacks on targets in a number of major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mariupol, and others. U.S. citizens in Ukraine are advised to shelter in place” and take other steps to try to stay safe if explosions or sirens are heard.”Further Russian military action can occur at any time without warning. U.S. citizens throughout Ukraine are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness,” the alert said.-Brian Dakss, Li Cohen 1:41 AM / February 24, 2022 Already, conflicting claims on air war Russia’s defense ministry said Thursday it had neutralized Ukrainian military air bases and its air defense systems, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military offensive against his country’s neighbor.”Military infrastructure at Ukrainian army air bases has been rendered out of action,” the defense ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies, adding that Kyiv’s air defense systems were “eliminated.”But the Ukrainian military claimed Thursday that it had downed five Russian planes and a helicopter in the east of the country near a rebel-held enclave.”According to the Joint Forces Command, today, February 24, in the area of the Joint Forces operation, five planes and a helicopter of the aggressors were shot down,” the army general staff said.CBS/AFP 12:38 AM / February 24, 2022 Ukrainian president declares martial law Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared martial law, urging citizens to not panic as Russia launches military strikes.Zelensky said Russia has targeted Ukraine’s military infrastructure and explosions are being heard across the country. Zelensky said he had just talked to President Biden and that the U.S. was rallying international support for Ukraine. He urged Ukrainians to stay home. Updated 12:31 AM / February 24, 2022 Biden says he spoke with Zelensky about Russia’s “unjustified attack” President Biden released a statement early Thursday morning, saying Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reached out to him and the two spoke about Russia’s “unjustified attack.”The call took place shortly before midnight ET, a White House official confirmed. “I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the United Nations Security Council,” Mr. Biden said in the statement. “He asked me 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. Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”-Sophie Reardon, Bo Erickson 12:23 AM / February 24, 2022 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vows decisive response from U.K. and allies British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned Putin for his “unprovoked attack” on Ukraine and vowed that the United Kingdom and its allies “will respond decisively.””I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps,” Johnson tweeted. “President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.”The U.K. imposed economic sanctions on five Russian banks and three oligarchs earlier this week in response to Putin’s decision to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine as independent. Johnson told the House of Commons on Tuesday the U.K. had additional sanctions at the ready if Russia escalated. 12:22 AM / February 24, 2022 Russian Ministry of Defense claims it is not attacking Ukrainian cities The Russian Ministry of Defense told state-run news agency RIA Novosti that the Russian military is not carrying out any missile, air or artillery strikes on the cities of Ukraine.”The military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, aviation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being disabled with high-precision weapons,” the agency said.Nothing threatens the civilian population, the Ministry of Defense said.Despite that claim, CBS News correspondents reported hearing loud blasts in the capital city of Kyiv and in the eastern city of Kharkiv shortly after Putin announced the military operation had begun. 12:06 AM / February 24, 2022 Biden briefed on Russia’s attack on Ukraine by members of national security team President Biden was briefed on a secure call about the ongoing attack by Russian forces against Ukraine by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley and national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted.The president is monitoring the situation from the residence at the White House.-Melissa Quinn, Nancy Cordes 11:51 PM / February 23, 2022 Ukraine’s foreign minister is heading back to the country, official says A Ukrainian official said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is on a plane back to the country, although the air space is closed. He had been in the U.S. for high-level meetings.Kuleba told the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that “the beginning of a large-scale war in Ukraine will be the end of the world order as we know it.”Kuleba met with President Biden in Washington on Tuesday, with the White House saying the meeting was to “reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Kuleba also met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and appeared in a joint press conference with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 11:13 PM / February 23, 2022 NATO secretary general condemns Russia’s “reckless and unprovoked attack” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared Russia’s attack “reckless and unprovoked,” and said NATO will do all it must to protect its members. “Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country,” he said.Stoltenberg called Russia’s attack a “grave breach of international law, and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security,” and urged Russia to immediately cease all military action. “NATO Allies will meet to address the consequences of Russia’s aggressive actions,” he added. “We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time. NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend all Allies.” 11:40 PM / February 23, 2022 Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.N. calls on Russia to relinquish leadership of Security Council Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya lambasted Russia during a meeting of the U.N. Security Council Wednesday night and called on its ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, to give up his seat as president of the council over its attack on Ukraine. (The presidency of the U.N. Security Council rotates on a monthly basis among the 15 members. February 2022 is Russia’s month.)”I was intending to ask the Russian ambassador to confirm on the record that the Russian troops will not start firing at Ukrainians today and go ahead with the offensive,” Kyslytsya said. “It became useless 48 minutes ago, because about 48 minutes ago, your president declared war on Ukraine.” Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya attends an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Ukraine in New York on February 23, 2022. TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images The Ukrainian ambassador called for Nebenzia to state “on the record” that Russian forces at this moment are not bombing Ukrainian cities, and troops are not moving into the country.”You have a smartphone. You can call Lavrov right now,” he said, in reference to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Kyslytsya continued, “If you are not in a position to give an affirmative answer, the Russian Federation ought to relinquish responsibilities of the president of the Security Council, pass these responsibilities on to a legitimate member of the Security Council, a member that is respectful of the charter.”The Ukrainian ambassador told Security Council members it’s “too late” to speak about an escalation of Russian aggression against Ukraine.”The Russian president declared the war on the record. Should I play the video of your president, ambassador? Should I do that? You can confirm it,” he told the Russian envoy. “It is the responsibility of this body to stop the war, so I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war.” In response to Kyslytsya’s remarks, Nebenzia declined to disturb Lavrov and rejected the characterization of Russia’s actions as “a war.””This isn’t called a war — this is called a special military opportunity in the Donbas,” he said.Kyslytsya reiterated his call for Russia’s representative at the U.N. to relinquish his duties and declared “There is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell, ambassador.” 11:16 PM / February 23, 2022 Ukrainian foreign minister says the country “will win” in Russia’s “war of aggression” Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs, tweeted that Ukraine “will defend itself and will win.””Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes,” he wrote. “This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now.” 11:14 PM / February 23, 2022 Hope for diplomatic solution evaporates Congressional leaders were notified of the Russian attack on Ukraine before it began. Two U.S. officials told CBS News that while diplomatic activity will continue, there appears to be little hope of a diplomatic solution at this point. Any continued diplomatic measures would be aimed at underscoring moral outrage of the international community and maintaining unity on sanctions, the officials said.Emergency meetings are expected to be called at the U.N., NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. G7 and EU leaders may gather as well.-Margaret Brennan, Mary Hager 11:04 PM / February 23, 2022 Warner says now is the time to “up the pain level for the Russian government” Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, denounced Russia’s attack on Ukraine and said now is the time to “up the pain level for the Russian government.” “For more than 70 years, we have avoided large-scale war in Europe. With his illegal invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin has tragically brought decades of general peace to an end,” Warner said. “Now the U.S. and our NATO allies must stand united and resolute against Putin’s efforts to renew the Russian empire at the expense of the Ukrainian people. President Biden has already imposed an initial tranche of sanctions, and it is now time for us to up the pain level for the Russian government. We should also continue to bolster the defenses of our NATO allies while exploring how we can further help the Ukrainian people in their time of need.”Warner added that the attack on Ukraine “is a tragedy not only for Ukraine, but for the Russian people as well.””They will pay a steep cost for Putin’s reckless ambition, in blood and in economic harm,” he said. 11:00 PM / February 23, 2022 Biden to speak Thursday and announce “further consequences” for Russia President Biden will deliver remarks early Thursday afternoon to announce “further consequences” the U.S. and its allies will impose on Russia for its attack on Ukraine, a White House official tells reporters. Exactly when the remarks will take place has yet to be announced. The president will be at the White House all day Thursday. 10:58 PM / February 23, 2022 Ukraine says “cruise and ballistic missiles strikes are underway” in Kyiv A Ukrainian government spokesperson confirmed early Thursday that “cruise and ballistic missile strikes are underway at the control centers” in Kyiv. 10:44 PM / February 23, 2022 Biden: “The world will hold Russia accountable” President Biden condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified attack” by Russian forces.”The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” the president said in a statement. “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”The president said he would be monitoring the developments from the White House and receiving updates from his national security team. He is also scheduled to meet with Group of 7 leaders on Thursday morning and plans to address the nation “to announce the further consequences the United States and our allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security.”The U.S. will also coordinate with NATO allies “to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance,” Mr. Biden said. 10:41 PM / February 23, 2022 Explosions mark beginning of Russian invasion of Ukraine Explosions heard by CBS News journalists in Kyiv and Kharkiv are the beginning of a Russian invasion, a NATO official confirmed to CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. This shelling is expected to continue up until daybreak, and then ground operations will begin. That could potentially include airborne troops, either carried by helicopters or jumping as paratroopers. That would likely be followed by tanks coming across the border in a “classic invasion force” going into Ukraine, Martin reports. -David Martin, Kathryn Watson 10:55 PM / February 23, 2022 Russia facing sanctions, “further consequences” to come In response to Putin’s recognition of the breakaway regions, Mr. Biden issued an executive order barring “new investment, trade and financing by U.S. persons to, from, or in” Donetsk and Luhansk and imposing sanctions that target the regions.Mr. Biden also imposed economic sanctions on two Russian banks, VEB and Promsvyazbank, and five Russian oligarchs, as well as on Nord Stream 2 AG, the company building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and its corporate officers in response to Russia’s escalating aggression against Ukraine.The White House has stressed the measures make up a first tranche of sanctions, issued alongside Western allies, with the U.S. and partners poised to impose harsher penalties if Russia continued to escalate.Mr. Biden said in a statement he will announce “further consequences” on Russia for the attack on Ukraine on Thursday. 10:35 PM / February 23, 2022 Biden “closely monitoring” developments in Ukraine, White House says President Biden is “closely monitoring” the developments in Ukraine and is receiving updates from national security adviser Jake Sullivan, White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted ahead of Putin’s remarks announcing the “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine.Psaki said the president also spoke with U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield before the U.N. Security Council meeting Wednesday evening.