Ukrainian military command centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv been attacked by missile strikes. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine on Thursday and called on soldiers there to lay down their arms, defying Western outrage and global appeals not to launch a war.
Minutes after Putin’s announcement, explosions were heard in several key Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv.The airspace over the Ukraine-Russia border has now been restricted, turning it into a no-go zone for commercial aviation. Multiple Ukrainian airports in the East have suspended all operations tonight, including Kharkiv.