Ukraine severs diplomatic ties with Moscow as over 40 soldiers, 10 civilians dead in Russian attack

Agencies | Kyiv

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

As many as 40 Ukrainian soldiers and around 10 civilians have been killed by Russian shelling, a Reuters report quoting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's adviser, said on Thursday. The AFP, meanwhile reported that Ukraine said it killed ‘around 50 Russian occupiers’ without providing details. The casualties are the latest in a series of fast-paced developments that began when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday said that the country has severed diplomatic relations with Russia after Moscow launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea on Thursday, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two and confirmation of the worst fears of the West. Zelenskiy has declared martial law in the country and the Ukrainian foreign minister vowed to fight and defeat Russia.

Following Putin’s invasion early on Thursday, explosions were reported in several areas of Ukraine and air sirens went off in Kyiv, indicating that the capital city is under attack. Shortly afterwards, the Russian defence ministry said that Ukraine’s air bases and military infrastructure has been neutralised, according to an IFX news agency report.

Former US President George W Bush condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine calling it the 'gravest security crisis' on the European continent since World War II. 'I join the international community in condemning Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine,' he said in a tweet.