Putin Announces Military Operation in Ukraine as Explosions Are Heard in Kyiv and Other Cities

KYIV, Ukraine, Feb. 24 - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine early Thursday, and explosions were heard soon after in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Ukraine's foreign minister called it a full-scale invasion.

Putin made the announcement in a televised address. He said Russia had no choice but to defend itself and that its aim was to "demilitarise" and "de-Nazify" Ukraine, Reuters reported. He urged Ukrainian forces to lay down their arms and said those who did could leave the combat zone and return to their families. "All responsibility for bloodshed will be on the conscience of the ruling regime in Ukraine," he said. He also warned that any direct attack on Russia would lead to "defeat and terrible consequences."

Blasts were reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa. CNN reporter Matthew Chance put on a flak jacket during a live broadcast after distant explosions could be heard.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote: "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine." President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "The people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace." He added: "When you attack us, you will see our faces, not our backs." Zelenskyy said he tried to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday and Russia did not respond.

At the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday night, Russia's ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said: "This isn't called a war. This is called a special military operation in Donbas."

President Joe Biden condemned what he called an "unprovoked and unjustified" attack and a "premeditated war," and said the world will hold Russia accountable. He spoke with Zelenskyy and planned to meet leaders of the Group of Seven virtually and to speak publicly in the afternoon about further consequences for Russia. He has said U.S. troops will not enter Ukraine, while the Pentagon has moved more forces into Eastern Europe.

Why it matters: Russia had massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine's border in recent weeks. On Monday, Putin recognized the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, which Russia has backed since 2014, the year it annexed Crimea. The United States responded with a first round of sanctions that hit two major Russian financial institutions and the company building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Officials are weighing more.

Early reports are incomplete, and the scale and location of the fighting are not yet clear. Biden's remarks this afternoon are expected to lay out the next set of penalties.