Despite numerous appeals for concerted peace efforts of international leaders to avoid a full-scale military confrontation between Russia & Ukraine, Moscow declared war on Kyiv on Thursday.
Putin’s announcement has again raised fears about the world getting closer to World War III.
While all international leaders have categorically denied the possibility that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could turn into a full-grown military conflict, they have not rejected the possibility that it may lead to the death of thousands of innocent people and widespread destruction.
READ MORE: Five recent facts: Russia targets Ukraine with “precision weapons.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Donbas, warning other countries that any interference with Russian actions would “consequences.”
Putin delivered an emergency address and stated that the operation was being launched to demilitarize Ukraine and defend those “suffering persecution or genocide by the Kyiv Regime.”
“I have decided to conduct special military operations. Its purpose will be to protect people suffering from genocide and persecution by the Kyiv regime for eight years. We will strive for demilitarization, de-Nazification, and reintegration of Ukraine,” Putin said.
He asked Ukrainian soldiers to surrender their arms.
He said, “Anyone who attempts to interfere with us or more to pose threats to our country and our citizens must understand that Russia’s immediate response will be prompt and will lead to such consequences as never before experienced in any of your histories.”
Russia declared war on Russia hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zeleskyy stated that Ukraine was not a threat and would not be a threat in the future.
Zelenskyy made an emotional appeal in Russian. He stated that Ukraine could pose a threat. It was not like that in the past. NATO must provide security guarantees. We also require security guarantees from NATO, Zelenskyy stated in a video.
The Ukrainian president also warned that an invasion by Russia would result in the loss of tens to thousands of lives.
The White House also warned that Putin would face severe consequences if Russia invaded Ukraine.
At Wednesday’s emergency UN Security Council meeting, Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, asked Russia to cease “attacking Ukraine” and allow peace to take place.
There were many rumors and indications that an attack against Ukraine was imminent.
Guterres stated that there had been several instances in the past with similar expressions and stories.
At the UNSC meeting earlier, the world leaders made it clear that Ukraine’s fate was not worth fighting with Russia.
There is also the possibility of war, so sanctions are the only viable option.
In an attempt to avoid a full-blown European war, world leaders quickly responded to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to send troops to Ukraine’s separatist areas.
Despite all this, Putin continues to upset the world with his strategy of confusing the truth about an invasion’s extent to his advantage.
