A spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred Russia's military action as an "act of war” in a Facebook statement. Spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in the statement said, “This is an act of war, an attack on sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a gross violation of the UN Statute and the fundamental norms and principles of international law."
Nikolenko also said that the Russian troops had carried out strikes on “peaceful” Ukrainian cities. It aimed to “destroy the state of Ukraine, seize Ukrainian territory by force, and establish occupation control.”
The statement further said, “Ukraine is claiming its right to self-defense in accordance with international law."
It also reads that the Ukrainian military was ready to “repel the aggressor and defend the Ukrainian land with all their might.”
However, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has claimed that five Russian aircraft and a helicopter were shot down early Thursday after Russian forces attack Ukraine. But, the Russian Ministry denied the claims.