Ukrainian interior ministry reports that the Russians have taken Gostomel, 15KM from KYIV
FLASH Russian forces breakthrough in Kyiv Oblast
Ukrainian officials say a Russian helicopter airborne landing attempt is under way at the Hostomel military airport just outside Kyiv.
Russian forces advance in Kherson Oblast, north of Crimea, reaching city of Nova Kakhova near the Dnieper River
Zelensky: Ukraine breaks off diplomatic relations with Russia. For all those who have not yet lost their conscience in Russia, it is time to go out and protest against the war with Ukraine.
Ukrainian Army claims: Recaptured Schastia, Luhansk Oblast whilst killing 50 enemy soldiers, destroying equipment. Seven enemy planes and two helicopters downed, 4 enemy tanks destroyed with casualties strewn across road near Kharkiv.
Russian breakthrough at Kharkiv; Russian troops seized two villages in the Luhansk Oblast
Ukraine says Russian Armed Forces cross the border in Lugansk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv
Russia's Defense Ministry says Ukrainian air defenses have been 'neutralized' - TASS
Ukraine’s interior ministry now says the country’s northern border is under attacks from Russian forces, with Belarusian support. Russian troops rolling into Ukraine via Belarusian border, says CNN
The President of Belarus gave orders to his army to integrate and cooperate with the Russian army in the invasion of Ukraine
Ukraine’s Interior Ministry confirms “missiles have just struck at the center of the Military Administration, airfields, military depots, in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.” Also artillery shelling at border areas.
Russian Defense Ministry: Military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields and aircraft of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being put out of action by high-precision weapons - RIA
Ukrainian Interior Ministry says nationwide there are hundreds of casualties as a result of attacks- CNN
FLASH: UKRAINE IMPOSES MARTIAL LAW AFTER RUSSIA DECLARES WAR
Putin in an address declares military operation against Ukraine!
The heads of the DPR and LPR Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik appealed to Vladimir Putin with a request to assist in repelling aggression from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in order to avoid civilian casualties and avert a humanitarian catastrophe in the Donbass, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the head of the Russian state, said.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin received letters from the head of the Lugansk People's Republic, Leonid Pasechnik, and the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin. The heads of these republics, on their own behalf and on behalf of their people, once again express gratitude to the president of Russia for the recognition of their states," Peskov said.
The spokesman also said that Pushilin and Pasechnik mentioned that the situation remains tense in Donbass, and people continue to evacuate.
"The actions of the Kiev regime testify to the unwillingness to end the war in the Donbass," the letter read, as quoted by Peskov, adding that Donbass leaders also say "the Kiev regime aims to solve the conflict by force."
Putin repeats claim that Ukraine invasion was necessary to defend Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin began his address to the Federal Assembly with a familiar refrain: Russia had no choice but to attack Ukraine.
Putin claimed that the West was preparing to turn Ukraine into a launchpad bristling with weapons to attack Russia, meaning that Moscow had to act before it could do so.
This echoes his speech from February 24 last year, when he argued that Russia had no choice but to use force against Ukraine.
"They did not leave us any other option for defending Russia and our people, other than the one we are forced to use today," he said.
"In these circumstances, we have to take bold and immediate action. The people’s republics of Donbas have asked Russia for help."
On Tuesday, Putin said that Russia has done "everything possible" to resolve the conflict peacefully, and accused the West of turning a blind eye to "terrorist activity" in eastern Ukraine.
Putin also repeated the unsubstantiated claim that Ukraine was pushing to be provided with nuclear weapons, and doubled down on his framing of the invasion as a pre-emptive, defensive action.
He went on to double down on blaming the West for the war in Ukraine.
"I want to repeat: it was they who unleashed the war," said Putin. "And we used and continue to use force to stop it."
Ukraine is serving the interests of "Western masters," Putin says
Putin said in his Tuesday address that the Ukrainian government is protecting the interests of its "Western masters" rather than the country's own national interests.
"The Kyiv regime and their Western masters have completely taken over the economy of the country," the Russian president claimed.
"They have destroyed the Ukrainian industry and economy," he said.
Putin added that the "material state" for those living in Ukraine has degraded.
"They're responsible for the escalation of the situation in Ukraine ... for the huge numbers of casualties," said Putin.
"And of course, the Kyiv regime is essentially alien to the people of Ukraine. They are not protecting their own interests, but those of their minder countries."
Putin repeats criticism of NATO expansion and claims West wants to widen Ukraine conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeated his criticism of the expansion of the NATO military alliance, which he has repeatedly used as an excuse for the invasion of Ukraine.
"We have been open, frank and sincere in wanting an open dialogue with the West and we have said many times that the world needs indivisible security and we invited all countries of the world to talk about that," Putin said in his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow.
"But as a response, all we got was a hypocritical, incomprehensible reply, as well as quite substantive, concrete actions -- the expansion of NATO -- the so-called umbrella of defense of our country and Central Asia."
"They are not going to stop. The threat continues every day," Putin said. "And they're preparing for bloodshed in the Donbas."
The Donbas comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine.
"The elite of the West does not conceal their ambitions, which is to strategically defeat Russia. What does that mean? It means to finish yourself once and for all," Putin said. "They do that by making local conflicts into much wider and bigger ones."
Putin added that the United States in particular sees the conflict in Ukraine "as an anti-Russian project."
"The aim is to seize these historically Russian lands from us," Putin added. "Nothing has changed. It is just a question of a continuation of the same policy."
https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-2-21-23/index.html