Russian Forces Attack Kyiv

A video circulating on social media purportedly shows a Ukranian woman excoriating an occupying Russian soldier and telling him that he has no business in the country and will ultimately die there.

A transcript of the video, posted by Mashable Editor Chris Taylor, outlines the conversation with a woman holding an umbrella engaged in a shouting match with what appears to be a Russian soldier. The video has been viewed over 2 million times on Twitter.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early Friday said Russia has designated him “target number one” and his family is number two in its continuing attack on the country, according to reports. 

Zelenskyy said in a video address that he remained in the capital, Kyiv, while his family has been moved to an undisclosed location, BBC News reported.

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Explosions could be heard in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv early Friday local time, as reports indicate Russian troops are closing in on the city.

“Russian mechanized forces, which came in from Belarus, are 20 miles outside of Kyiv,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told lawmakers Thursday night, according to reporting from Axios.

Austin added that the military is looking into ways to provide Ukrainian forces with more equipment, including ammunition, as Russian troops swarm the country.

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new sanctions package on Russia Thursday, including a ban on exports meant to target the country’s oil refineries.

“One instrument that is being used is that instruments that are crucial to refine oil are banned. These instruments are built in Europe, are unique. No more chance for Russia to refine oil and then send it,” con der Leyen said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that Europe had done everything it could to pursue diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin, going so far as to request a ceasefire less than a day after Russia launched its invastion.

“We have done everything we possibly could to make diplomatic path successful,” Macron said.

“Zelenskyy asked me to ask Putin for ceasefire, I passed on message from France to Russian president but it did not lead to any impact, because president of Russia choose the war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian backed groups have entered Kiev and begun searching for him and his family.

“According to our information, the enemy marked me as the number one target. My family is the number two target. They want to destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the Head of State,” Zelenskyy said Thursday in a video posted to social media.

“I stay in the capital, I stay with my people,” he continued. “During the day, I held dozens of international talks, directly managed our country. And I will stay in the capital. My family is also in Ukraine. My children are also in Ukraine. My family is not traitors. They are the citizens of Ukraine. But I have no right to say where they are now.”

A GOP Senate aide told Fox News Digital that the Ukraine invasion briefing for senators made it clear that the Biden administration knew they were behind the eight ball on the situation. Additionally, the briefing discussed export controls and sanctions and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s weighing of them as a cost-benefit analysis.

SWIFT sanctions were also weighed during the briefing, but the aide said the general feel was that the administration can only do so much with sanctions of that type.

The White House played clean-up Thursday evening after President Biden claimed “no one expected” sanctions to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine, despite claiming for weeks that the mere threat of sanctions would serve as a deterrent effect.

White House deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh told reporters said that had the Biden administration “unleashed our entire package of financial sanctions preemptively,” Putin still likely would have invaded Ukraine. 

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki praised Russians who have protested Russian President Vladimir’s Putin decision to invade Ukraine, saying that making the decision to protest the Russian leader is a “deeply courageous act.”

“Today we’re seeing Russian people in the streets, open letters from leading Russian journalists and cultural figures denouncing Putin’s war of choice. And reports of Russian mothers concerned about deployment of their sons,” Psaki said during a Thursday press briefing. “Despite Putin’s crackdown at home dissenting views remain.”

Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh wouldn’t rule out ‘ratcheting up’ sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making clear options such as sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin or cutting off Russia’s access to SWIFT payment systems were still on the table.

“It would be a mistake to doubt that,” Singh said during Thursday’s press briefing.

Singh said that the sanctions put in place Thursday were done in coordination with allies, but there are steps the U.S. could take if the situation on the ground changes, including further sanctions.

Head of Lviv regional customs Daniil Menshikov late on Thursday announced that Ukraine would not allow men aged 18 to 60 to leave the country.

“An urgent message!! To the attention of citizens!!” Menshikov wrote in a Facebook post. “Due to the military state, men – citizens of Ukraine, aged 18 to 60 will not be released outside our state. Please do not create panic and do not try to cross the border on your own!”

He also proclaimed that “victory is upon us!”

Former President Barack Obama weighed in on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, releasing a statement imploring Americans to “stand on the side of freedom.”

“Last night, Russia launched a brazen attack on the people of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic principles of human decency,” Obama said Thursday, adding that Ukraine did not “pose a threat to Russia.”

Obama warned that their may be economic hardships in the U.S. as a result of sanctions imposed on Russia, but argued that cost is worth standing “on the side of freedom.”

“There may be some economic consequences to such sanctions, given Russia’s significant role in world energy markets,” Obama said. “But that’s a price we should be willing to pay to take a stand on the side of freedom.”

Russia began cracking down on opposition to the Ukraine invasion
Thursday, arresting more than a thousand anti-war protesters who showed out in several Russian cities. 

More than 1,700 people have been arrested across Russia in connection to anti-war demonstrations, according to OVD Info, an independent organization monitoring political persecutions. Video shared online showed large swathes of protesters in Moscow and the historic capital of St. Petersburg.

Crowds chanting “No War” were seen marching through central Moscow. 

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Russia’s all-out attack on Ukraine has killed at least 57 people and wounded 169 during the first day of President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s Health Minister Oleh Lyashko said Thursday.

Ukraine’s armed forces had earlier reported at least 40 soldiers were killed, and said a military plane carrying 14 people crashed south of Kyiv.

The U.S. Commerce Department through the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced it will restrict Russia’s access to technology and other items.

Russia will lose access to semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers and sensors.

The controls mainly hit Russia’s defense, aerospace and maritime sectors. The U.S. takes this action in cooperation with the European Union, Japan, Australia, the U.K., Canada and New Zealand.

“The Commerce Department, along with our partners internationally and across the Biden-Harris Administration, will continue to use every tool at our disposal to restrict products, software, and technology that support Russia’s military capabilities,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.

Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Thursday that a curfew will be imposed in the capital from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. local time after
Russian troops invaded Ukraine. 

The statement announcing the curfew was shared to Klitschko’s official Facebook page.

“Public transport will not work during curfew. At the same time, metro stations will be available as shelters 24/7,” Klitschko wrote. 

“We ask all Kyivites to return home on time. If you need to move around the city during the curfew, in particular, as employees of critical infrastructure companies, you must have identification documents,” the statement continued.

President Biden on Thursday announced new sanctions on Russia over its
multi-front war on Ukraine and 7,000 more U.S. service members to Germany, but maintained that U.S. military will not fight in Ukraine.

On orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin, troops began attacking Ukraine overnight Wednesday.”Putin is the aggressor,” Biden said.

“Putin chose this war. And now, he and his country will bear the consequence.”

Biden said the sanctions, in coordination with a coalition of other nations, would target four more major Russian banks, including VTB, and would make it harder for Russia to do business in dollars, Euros, pounds and yen. There will also be “new limitations” on what can be exported to Russia, he said.

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As the world reels from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s apparent indifference to the sanctions imposed against his country thus far, calls are growing across the globe for Putin to be hit with financial pain that he cannot ignore.

One way of doing that is to cut Russia off from access to the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), the main global network that allows financial institutions to send and receive information on international bank transfers. 

SWIFT is incorporated and headquartered in Belgium with 26 offices across the world, providing messaging services to banks in more than 200 countries. It is overseen by the central banks of the G-10, comprised of Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland and Sweden.

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Secretary of Defense Gen. Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of approximately 7,000 additional Service Members to Germany in a move that will bolster NATO defense forces in Europe.

The forces would include an armored brigade combat team with the appropriate capabilities and enablers.

Austin and President Biden believe these troops will help deter Russian aggression against potential NATO allies.

The forces will depart in the coming days.

President Biden on Thursday made clear that he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin’s goal is to revive the Soviet Union through conquest.

“Putin has much larger ambitions than Ukraine,” Biden said. “He wants to, in fact, re-establish the former Soviet Union. That is what this is about.”

Biden spoke of “Putin’s desire for empire, by any means necessary” and repeatedly dodged questions on sanctioning Putin directly.

Satellite images shared by
ImageSat International (ISI) intelligence report, space-based intelligence solutions company, show a Russian field hospital, attack helicopters and military tanks in Belgorod as President Vladimir Putin’s invasion continues.

The European Union is unlikely to cut Russia off from the SWIFT global bank system, with member nations divided over the decision.

Russia
launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine Thursday local time. World leaders and diplomats widely condemned the attack and promised strong sanctions in response.

The foreign ministers of the Baltic States and Poland want to include the measure in the next raft of sanctions against Russia, but Germany, Italy, Hungary and Cyprus remain wary – for now.

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The U.S. government is on high alert for signs of Russian cyberattacks against banks and other financial institutions after Moscow launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, eliciting harsh sanctions from the international community.

A homeland security source with knowledge of the matter told FOX Business on Thursday that the cyber threat to the U.S. from Russia is still active, and has not changed since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 

Threats to the national grid and major American banks are a real possibility, the person said. Both the Department of Justice and FBI are braced for a potential attack and are closely tracking any unusual cyber activity. The DOJ has an entire national security division devoted to this.

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President Biden
 is set to address the American people from the White House and announce further “devastating” sanctions for Russia, which launched a multi-front attack on Ukraine Thursday.

Biden tweeted that he and G7 counterparts has agreed to sanction packages and economic measures “to hold Russia to account.”

“We stand with the brave people of Ukraine,” he wrote.

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Russian forces entering Ukraine from Belarus have taken control of Chernobyl, the decommissioned nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Energy claimed Thursday.

Demchenkov Yaroslav claimed that the State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate informed him that the Chernobyl, including all installations and repositories, “is fully controlled” by Russian forces.

The plant was the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident when a nuclear reactor exploded in April 1986, spewing radioactive waste across Europe.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other government officials earlier claimed that Russian forces stationed in Belarus were trying to seize Chernobyl as Russian incursions continued across the country. 

A Ukraine advisor to Interior Ministry Anton Gerashchenko had said in an earlier Facebook post that the Russian forces entered the exclusion zone from Belarus and that Ukrainian national guardsmen were “fighting hard” to defend the area. 

The plant lies in northern Ukraine, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital of Kyiv. The nuclear incident happened while Ukraine was still part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

The exploded reactor has been covered by a protective shelter to prevent radiation leak and the entire plant has been decommissioned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Biden tweeted on Thursday that the U.S. and its allies in the G7 have agreed to move forward with a package of “devastating” sanctions and other economic measures after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion into Ukraine.

Biden is expected to speak to the nation about the deadly Russian attack at 1:30 p.m. EST from the East Room.

Anti-Russian demonstrations have broken out in the United States and across Europe on Thursday as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine with the perceived goal of taking over the capital of Kyiv. 

Demonstrators converged in Times Square in New York City on Thursday in support of Ukraine, as organizers planned to lead a march to the Russian Mission, and then up to the Russian Consulate. 

There were also crowds of demonstrators, including Ukrainians, gathered in support of Ukraine on Thursday outside 10 Downing Street, the office home of the prime minister in central London. 

The Russian coat of arms outside the Russian embassy in Dublin, Ireland, was covered in red paint Thursday following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday announced that he would impose a full asset freeze on all major Russian banks to cut off them off from the U.K. financial system in response to President Vladimir Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

The sanctions effect VTB Bank, the Russia’s second-biggest bank, Johnson said. Britain also plans to bar Russian companies and the Russian government from raising money on U.K. markets.

The U.K. said it is coordinating sanctions with the United States and European Union, but both of those entities introduced tougher measures than Britain earlier this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told Fox News that the U.S. must work to help Europe find alternative sources for energy and gas in order to limit Russia’s influence on the continent as he discussed possible sanctions. 

Schiff said that this attack should prompt “a wholesale effort to wean Europe off of Russian oil and gas so that Russia can no longer use that as leverage,” Schiff, chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said. “And I think it ought to spell at a minimum the final death of North Stream 2.” 

“So I think that ought to be our response to Russia’s use of oil and gas as a geopolitical weapon.” 

Schiff also called for President to hit Putin and his inner circle of oligarchs with financial sanctions. 

Ukraine’s armed forces reported that it received “many inquiries” about joining the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces.

“Anyone who is ready to hold weapons, join the forces of the territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” said the Minister of Defense Olekseii Reznikov. “We have simplified all the procedures. Just take a passport. Passport only.”

“We give weapons to all patriots who are ready to use it against the enemy without hesitation! Keeping the calm!”

Russia’s offensive in Ukraine appears to be the beginning of a “large-scale invasion” aimed at taking down the capital city of Kyiv, a senior U.S. defense official said Thursday.

The official described three “main axes of assault,” including what looks to be a strong push toward the capital.

“It’s our assessment that they have every intention of basically decapitating the government,” the official said, specifying that “they’re making a move on Kyiv.”

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Ukraine Ambassador the United States Oksana Markarova claimed that the Russian 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade surrendered near Chernihiv.

Markarova said that the platoon claimed it did not know they were in Ukraine to “kill Ukrainians.”

She said President Zelensky remains in Ukraine but would not say what city. When asked if the capital would hold, she paused and said that she remains confident Ukraine will win.

Rich Grenell, the former Acting Director of National Intelligence during the Trump administration, suggested that President Biden’s “weak diplomacy failed” as Russia launched an all-out land, air and sea invasion of Ukraine.

Former President George W. Bush said Thursday that the Russian war on Ukraine is the most severe threat to European security since World War II as Russian President Vladimir Putin lurches Europe, and the world, toward another Cold War. 

“Russia’s attack on Ukraine constitutes 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,” Bush said.

“The American government and people must stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as they seek freedom and the right to choose their own future.”

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President Biden held a National Security Council meeting Thursday morning in the Situation Room to talk about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a White House official said.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tweeted that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “inhumane” and “killing innocent people,” drawing a comparison to former Soviet
leader Joseph Stalin, as Russia continues its land, air and sea invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday claimed that Russian forces stationed in Belarus were trying to seize Chernobyl, the former nuclear power plant, as incursions continued across the country. 

A Ukraine advisor to Interior Ministry Anton Gerashchenko said in a Facebook post that the Russian forces entered the exclusion zone from Belarus and that Ukrainian national guardsmen were “fighting hard” to defend the area. 

“If the invaders artillery hits and ruins / damages the collectors of nuclear waste , radioactive nuclear dust can can be spread over the territory of Ukraine, Belarus and the country of the EU!” the advisor claimed.

The plant was the site of the world’s worst nuclear accident when a nuclear reactor exploded in April 1986, spewing radioactive waste across Europe.

The plant lies in northern Ukraine, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital of Kyiv. The nuclear incident happened while Ukraine was still part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

The exploded reactor has been covered by a protective shelter to prevent radiation leak and the entire plant has been decommissioned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

A Department of Homeland Security official confirmed to Fox News Thursday that the Russian cybersecurity threat against the United States is still active despite Russia’s decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Officials previously noted that U.S. power grids and major U.S. banks could be targets of Russian cyber-attacks. Officials say those attacks are still possible.

Virginia Democratic Senator Mark Warner suggested on social media Thursday morning that American businesses should look into strengthening their cyber-defenses in light of the possibility of a cyberattack.

President Biden is expected to deliver remarks on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at 12:30 p.m. EST from the East Room.

The United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “dictator” and threatened “massive” sanctions following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

“We cannot and will not just look away,” Johnson said in an address to the United Kingdom Thursday morning.

“Diplomatically, politically, economically — and eventually, militarily — this hideous and barbaric venture of Vladimir Putin must end in failure,” he said.

Johnson then called the attack on Ukraine “an attack on democracy and freedom in east Europe and around the world,” and referred to Putin as a “dictator.”

“Because for all his bombs and tanks and missiles, I don’t believe that the Russian dictator will ever subdue the national feeling of the Ukrainians and their passionate belief that their country should be free.”

Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reports from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv with the latest updates as Russia continues its attack on the country. 

According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, a Ukrainian transport plane was shot down, killing 5 soldiers. At least 40 Ukrainian military members are believed to have died as Russia continues to invade the country. Those death estimates are expected to rise. 

Fox News correspondent Mike Tobin is on the ground in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine, with the latest on how citizens are dealing with the escalation from Russian forces.

As Russian troops launched their anticipated attack on Ukraine on Thursday, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) warned airlines to avoid flying over Ukraine. 

The agency cautioned airline operators flying in airspace within 100 nautical of the Belarus-Ukraine and Russia-Ukraine borders to exercise “extreme caution,” Reuters reported. 

On Thursday, flight radar maps show that airspace over Ukraine has largely cleared after Russia began its land, sea and air invasion.

Hatzalah Ukraine CEO Shlomo Rosilio tells “Fox & Friends” people are “starting to panic” in Ukraine as he attempts to evacuate residents on buses as Russia invades.

Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday by land, air and sea in the largest military attack of one state against another on the European continent since the Second World War. 

The wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday hit cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. Ukraine’s government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border in a “full-scale war” that could rewrite the geopolitical order. 

Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the country severed diplomatic relations with Russia and called “on all our partners to do the same. By this concrete step you will demonstrate that you stand by Ukraine and categorically reject the most blatant act of aggression in Europe since WWII.”

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At least 6 planes, 2 helicopters and dozens of enemy armored equipment were destroyed as Ukraine defended itself from an all-out Russian invasion, a Ukrainian government minister claimed Thursday in a post to the Ukrainian military’s Facebook page. 

The minister claimed that Ukrainian Defense Forces are deterring the advancement of Russian aggressors, having also burnt four tanks near Kharkiv. 

Separately, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko on Thursday claimed Ukraine’s armed forces have taken two Russian infantry soldiers as prisoners. 

Fox News correspondent Steve Harrigan is on the ground in Kyiv reporting on the latest developments in Russia’s land, sea and air invasion of Ukraine.

Big explosions were heard in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv beginning before dawn on Thursday as Russia launched an all-out attack.

Smoke and debris were seen at a Ukrainian air defense base in Mariupol, a port city in southeastern Ukraine, in the aftermath of an apparent Russian strike on Thursday. 

The Russian military claimed to have wiped out Ukraine’s entire air defenses in a matter of hours, though its claims couldn’t immediately be verified.

An Associated Press photographer in Mariupol heard explosions and saw dozens of people with suitcases heading for their cars to leave the city.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Oil prices jumped on Thursday, with Brent rising above $105 a barrel for the first time since 2014, after Russia’s attack on Ukraine exacerbated concerns about disruptions to global energy supply.

“Russia is the third-largest oil producer and second-largest oil exporter. Given low inventories and dwindling spare capacity, the oil market cannot afford large supply disruptions,” said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.

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Central European countries on Thursday readied themselves to receive an influx of refugees fleeing Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. 

Poland is setting up reception points for refugees on its border with Ukraine, while Hungary is planning to deploy forces to its shared border with Ukraine for security and humanitarian purposes, Reuters reported. 

German media cited estimations that Ukrainian refugees fleeing into the European Union may number between 200,000 and a million, according to the outlet. 

Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday stated they will offer support to countries in Eastern Europe, including Poland, that are facing an influx of refugees following the Russian invasion.

NATO will activate its defensive Response Force in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.

The decision was made by NATO’s North Atlantic Council.

“Peace on our continent has been shattered,” Stoltenberg said. “We now have war in Europe on a scale and of a type we thought belonged to history.”

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Fox Business host Stuart Varney joined “Fox & Friends” to discuss the energy implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia after it launched an attack on the country overnight Wednesday that for the sake of Ukrainians “freedom,” “lives” and their “children’s lives we will defend ourselves.”

But how do Ukraine’s military capabilities measure up to Russia?

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U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle late Wednesday condemned Russia’s “unprovoked” attack of Ukraine after news broke that Vladimir Putin had declared a “special military operation” in Ukraine and explosions could be heard in the capital city of Kyiv and other parts of the country.  

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Britain’s biggest domestic lender Lloyds said on Thursday it was on “heightened alert” for cyberattacks from Russia as the crisis in Ukraine has worsened.

“We’ve been on heightened alert… internally around our cyber risk controls and we’ve been focused on this now for quite a while,” Lloyds CEO Charlie Nunn told reporters after the bank’s full-year results. 

Preparation for potential cyberattacks was discussed in a meeting between the government and banking industry leaders about Russia on Wednesday, Nunn added. Lloyds has been on heightened alert for the “last couple of months”, Nunn said.

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law Thursday and announced the country had severed diplomatic ties with Russia after the giant neighboring nation launched a military invasion into Ukraine.

The president’s actions came in a second video that Zelenskyy posted to social media as television images seen around the world showed Russia troops entering his country.

“Dear Ukrainians, this morning, President Putin announced a special military operation in the Donbas,” Zelenskyy said. 

Zelenskyy was referring to one of the breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine targeted by the invasion and which Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed share cultural and historical ties to Russia.

“Russia has attacked our military infrastructure and our border guards,” Zelenskyy continued. “Explosions were heard in many cities of Ukraine. We introduce martial law throughout the state.”

More than 40 Ukrainian troops and at least 10 civilians have been killed in the hours since Russia launched attacks on the country, Ukraine’s leadership said Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Russia’s central bank said Thursday that it ordered brokers to stop allowing traders to, place bets against Russian shares, a practice known as short-selling.

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Beijing on Thursday refused to criticize Russia’s attack on Ukraine, instead calling for a diplomatic solution.

the country also approved the importation of Russian wheat, a move that could blunt the effects of sanctions levied on the Kremlin.

“China is closely following the latest developments,” Beijing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. “We still hope that the parties concerned will not shut the door to peace and engage instead in dialogue and consultation and prevent the situation from further escalating.”

He added that the “Ukraine issue is complex in its historical background … what we are seeing today is the interplay of complex factors.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

At a news conference Thursday, the president of the European Commission said its member nations plan to impose their “strongest” and “harshest” economic sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.

“We will present a package of massive and targeted sanctions to European leaders for approval,” commission leader Ursula van der Leyen announced in Brussels, according to The Associated Press.

The proposed sanctions will be aimed at blocking Russian access to technologies and markets that could help boost its economy and preventing Russian banks from accessing Europe’s financial marlets, Von der Leyen said.

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to read more on Fox Business.

“It’s too late, my dear colleagues, to speak about de-escalation,” Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council that happened as President Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” and started attacking Ukraine.

“I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war,” Kyslytsya added.

Kyslytsya also directly confronted Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia at the meeting, challenging him to deny that Russia was bombing Ukraine.

“You have a smartphone. You can call” officials in Moscow, he said.

“There is no purgatory for war criminals,” he added. “They go straight to hell, Ambassador.”

Nebenzia said Russia’s actions in Ukraine were a “special military operation,” not a war, and he had already said everything he knew. 

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an appeal to Russian citizens to explain his views on Russian aggression towards his country, saying he does not want a war but that his country will defend itself against hostilities.

“We have no need for another Cold War, or a bloody war, or a hybrid war,” Zelenskyy said in a video posted online Thursday morning local time, hours before Russia’s eventual invasion of his country.

“Today I initiated a phone conversation with the president of the Russian Federation. The result was silence. Although it’s the Donbas where there should be silence,” he added.

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Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard tweeted Wednesday as Russian forces moved into Ukraine that the conflict could have possibly been avoided if Russian concerns about Ukraine joining NATO had been previously addressed. 

“This war and suffering could have easily been avoided if Biden Admin/NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, which would mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border,” Gabbard tweeted late Wednesday night. 

Gabbard’s tweet was retweeted over 10,000 times and liked over 30,000 times but also earned sharp pushback on Twitter. 

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South Korea will sanction Russia over its attack on Ukraine, President Moon Jae-in said Thursday, according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.

The country had previously remained on the fence over potential economic fallout from sanctions due to South Korean companies in Russia, according to the Korea Times.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call early Thursday that he was “appalled” by Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, adding the the “West would not stand by as President Putin waged his campaign against the Ukrainian people, according to a statement from 10 Downing Street.

“The Prime Minister said he hoped Ukraine could resist and that Ukraine and its people were in the thoughts of everyone in the United Kingdom … during this dark time.”

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv urged American citizens remaining in Ukraine to shelter in place amid reports of Russian attacks in the capital as well as Kharkiv, Odesa, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Mariupol, and to take cover if people hear explosions or sirens.

The embassy advised getting to the lowest floor of a building with the least number of exterior walls and windows.

“Further Russian military action can occur at any time without warning,” the update said. “U.S. citizens throughout Ukraine are strongly encouraged to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness. Know the location of your closest shelter or protected space.”

Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs tweeted on early Thursday morning local time that “Ukraine will defend itself.”

Ukraine, Europe’s second-largest country with a population of 44 million, is battling Russia in what intelligence communities have said would be the biggest war in Europe since 1945. One man who fought the Russian army in his homeland says the world now believes in what he had been warning against 14 years ago.

“At least, I warned all my Western friends about Russia becoming more dangerous and drawing more red lines,” says Mikheil Saakashvili, Georgia’s former president, who is behind bars in his country for charges he considers trumped-up. 

Saakashvili, who calls himself Putin’s private prisoner, answered Fox News questions in writing through his lawyer.

Read more.

U.S. politicians on both sides of the aisle condemned Russia’s “unprovoked” attack of Ukraine late Wednesday after news broke that Vladimir Putin had declared a “special military operation” in Ukraine and explosions could be heard in the capital city of Kyiv and other parts of the country.

“The prayers of the world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” President Biden said in a White House statement. “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering.”

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Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg told Fox News that there’s “not much” President Biden can do to stop a bigger invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he is green lighting a “special military operation” in Ukraine on early Thursday morning local time, and said that “Russian President Vladimir Putin “our confrontation with these [Ukrainian] forces is inevitable.”

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President Biden shared details with his late evening phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“President Zelenskyy reached out to me tonight and we just finished speaking. I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” Biden said.

Biden continued:

“I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the United Nations Security Council.

“He asked me to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine. Tomorrow, I will be meeting with the Leaders of the G7, and the United States and our Allies and partners will be imposing severe sanctions on Russia. We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine will be imposing martial law in response to the Russian invasion of the country.

“This morning Russia launched a new military operation against our state. This is an unjustified deceitful and cynical invasion,” Zelenskyy said.

He continued:

There are strikes on military and other important defense facilities, border units are under attack, the situation in the Donbas has degraded. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, all special and law enforcement agencies of the state are on alert. The National Security and Defense Council is working in an emergency mode. Martial law will be imposed.”

“Civilians of Ukraine should stay at home. Warn your loved ones about what is happening. Take care of those who need help. All thoughts and prayers are with our soldiers. Glory to Ukraine!”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson responded to the developing crisis in Ukraine, saying the UK and allies will “respond decisively.”

“I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelenskyy to discuss next steps. President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction…The UK and our allies will respond decisively,” Johnson said.

President Biden held a late night call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday, Fox News has confirmed.

The call took place as Russia has launched what the Ukrainians are calling “full-scale” invasion of Ukraine.

An advisor to Ukrainian Interior Minister Armenian Avakov tells Fox News that the full-scale invasion has begun.

According to the advisor, there have been missile strikes on Kiev, airfields have been hit by shelling, and there have been reports of explosions in Kiev, Kharkiv, Berdyanks, Odessa, and Zhytomyr.

There have also been reports of an amphibious landing in Odessa, while the Ukrainian representative to the United Nations said that Russia confirmed they have begun an invasion of Ukraine.

President Biden will announce additional sanctions against Russia Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

“Tomorrow in the early afternoon, President Biden will deliver remarks announcing the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for its unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine,” a White House official said.

“Moscow Komsomolets, a Russian newspaper that aligns with the government’s views, reported. “Putin stressed that occupation of Ukraine is not part of Russia’s plans. According to his words, Moscow will strive for the demilitarize of the neighboring state.”

TASS, the Russian government backed wire service, wrote: “Putin made the decision to executive the operation demilitarize Ukraine and denationalize it. Russia’s president called on Ukraine’s military officers to disobey the illegitimate and criminal orders and to put their arms down”

“I strongly condemn Russia’s reckless and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which puts at risk countless civilian lives,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday. “Once again, despite our repeated warnings and tireless efforts to engage in diplomacy, Russia has chosen the path of aggression against a sovereign and independent country.”

Stoltenberg continued:

“This is a grave breach of international law, and a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security. I call on Russia to cease its military action immediately and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. NATO Allies will meet to address the consequences of Russia’s aggressive actions. We stand with the people of Ukraine at this terrible time. NATO will do all it takes to protect and defend all Allies.”

U.S. equity futures are falling following an address Wednesday evening from Russian President Vladimir Putin saying he has decided to green light military operations in Ukraine.

“I’ve made the decision to conduct a special military operation,” Putin said. “Our analysis has concluded that our confrontation with these [Ukrainian] forces in inevitable.”

Read more on Fox Business.

“The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” President Biden said.

Biden contnued:

“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering. Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable. 

 “I will be monitoring the situation from the White House this evening and will continue to get regular updates from my national security team. Tomorrow, I will meet with my G7 counterparts in the morning and then speak to the American people to announce the further consequences the United States and our Allies and partners will impose on Russia for this needless act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security. We will also coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance. Tonight, Jill and I are praying for the brave and proud people of Ukraine.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin compared the current government of Ukraine to Nazi Germany, saying that there are currently Nazi nationalists in the country that oppress the people of Ukraine.

In an address Wednesday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has decided to green light military operations in Ukraine.

“I’ve made the decision to conduct a special military operation,” Putin said. “Our analysis has concluded that our confrontation with these [Ukrainian] forces in inevitable.”

“A couple of words for those who would be tempted to intervene. Russia will respond immediately and you will have consequences that you never have had before in your history,” he added.

President Biden has been receiving regular briefings from his national security team, a White House official told Fox News’ Peter Doocy Wednesday.

The news comes as fears grow that Russia is set to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Ukraine has closed its airspace to civil aircraft as Russian leaders are seemingly poised to launch a full-scale invasion of the country.

A NOTAM alert Wednesday evening notified civil aircraft that Ukrainian airspace was closed due to a “potential hazard for civil aviation.”

Meanwhile, ABC News reported that Russian military leaders have returned their command center as cyber attacks on Ukraine are underway, a potential sign that a full-scale invasion of Ukraine could be near.

During an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not rule out the possibility that Russia could launch a full scale invasion before the end of the night.

“I do,” Blinken responded when asked by Holt if he had “reason to believe” Russia would launch such an attack within the next few hours. “Russia has positioned its forces at the final point of readiness across Ukraine’s borders.”

“Everything seems to be in place for Russia to engage,” Blinken continued.

Asked to clarify whether he believed such an invasion could come Wednesday night, Blinken responded that he “cannot put a date an exact time on it.”

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency session on the developing crisis in Ukraine Wednesday night.

The session comes just one day after the security council held an emergency session at the request of Ukraine on Tuesday, which saw most countries in attendance speak out against Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a direct plea to the Russian population, arguing Ukraine is not the enemy Russian President Vladimir Putin has made them out to be.

In an emotional Facebook video directed at the Russian population Wednesday, Zelenskyy said that he has tried to reach out to Putin directly in an attempt for diplomacy to no avail.

He defended Ukraine from Putin’s comments comparing the country to Nazi Germany, arguing that 8 million Ukrainians died fighting during the second world war.

Zelenskyy noted that while Russians and Ukrainians are a different people, they don’t have to be enemies.

The leaders of two separatists regions in eastern Ukraine have requested assistance from Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming they need to “repel aggression” from the Ukrainian military, according to Russian government news agency TASS.

The leaders of the separatists regions pointed to an escalation of the crisis in Donbas, claiming they were currently under threat from the government in Kiev.

The news comes as Russia has moved troops into eastern Ukraine under the guise of keeping peace after Putin recognized the two region’s claims of independence from the Ukrainian government, stoking fears that the move could be a pretext for a larger full scale invasion of Ukraine.

“This means it’s on. Russian forces will initiate the military offensive operation now,” former DIA intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler, who also authored ‘Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America,’ told Fox News Digital Wednesday.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be responsible for the loss of life if he chooses a full scale invasion of Ukraine, noting that he would also be putting at risk the lives of Russian soldiers.

“He’s going to have to answer to Russian moms and dads,” for Russian soldiers that die in a potential war, Kirby said during a Wednesday press briefing.

Kirby said that a potential war would not be “bloodless,” arguing that Putin would be choosing that option over diplomacy that is still an options.

“We still think there’s time to deescalate… not pursue a war of choice,” Kirby said.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that the Department of Defense believes Russia is “ready” to launch a large scale invasion of Ukraine.

“We continue to see him form his capabilities in such a way that leads us to believe that we are potentially close to some sort of action,” Kirby said Monday, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Russian forces continues to assemble closer to the border and put themselves in advance stage of readiness to act… virtually any time now,” he continued. “We believe they are ready.”

The Ukrainian Parliament approved a state of emergency for the country Wednesday that will be in place for 30 days.

The move comes after s National Security and Defense Council recommendation earlier Wednesday, which came as a massive cyber attack hit several of the country’s websites.

President Biden announced that he will be imposing sanctions on the owner of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russia and Germany, in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.

President Biden announced that he will be imposing sanctions on the owner of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russia and Germany, in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.

In a statement issued from the White House Wednesday afternoon, Biden referenced Germany’s recent announcement that it would halt the pipeline’s certification and thanked Chancellor Olaf Scholz for his cooperation in “holding Russia accountable” for its aggression.

Read more on Fox Business.

A senior U.S. defense official has said Wednesday that Russian troops “arrayed around Ukraine and Belarus are as ready as they can be.”

“We believe that he that he, Mr. Putin and his forces are as ready as they can be and… they have uncoiled. They’re ready to go,” the official warned.

“It is our assessment that he is fully prepared to conduct a large scale invasion and that that is that is a likely option,” the official added.

“We would assess that about 80 percent of their forces are in what we would consider forward positions ready to go,” the official also said, noting that “if ever we wanted to be wrong, we want to be wrong about this.”

Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.

Turkey, a NATO member which shares a Black Sea border with Russia and Ukraine
, says the “decision of the Russian Federation to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Republics… constitutes a clear violation of Ukraine’s political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We reiterate once again our commitment to the preservation of Ukraine’s political unity and territorial integrity and invite all concerned parties to act with common sense and to abide by international law,” a statement from Turkey’s foreign ministry added.

Bipartisan lawmakers – ranging from members of the far-left Squad
to the far-right Freedom Caucus – joined together Tuesday to call on President Biden to receive authorization from Congress before involving U.S. forces in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Rep. Peter DeFazio, an Oregon Democrat, and Rep. Warren Davidson, an Ohio Republican, led the diverse group of 43 members of Congress in a letter to Biden, urging him to follow the Constitution when considering deploying U.S. troops.

“The American people deserve to have a say before we become involved in yet another foreign conflict,” DeFazio said in a tweet.

Biden on Tuesday announced sanctions against Russia after President Vladimir Putin declared the independence of two separatist regions in Ukraine and deployed military forces in what Biden said is the “beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” Biden also authorized additional U.S. forces to the region, but maintained that the United States has “no intention” of fighting Russia.

Click here to read more on Fox News.

As Russia ramps up its invasion of Ukraine, Russian media is ramping up a different picture of the conflict. 

Social media has become a battlefield of its own with content produced by Russian
media, which is under the control of the Kremlin. Viral videos purportedly showing the Ukrainian military being the aggressors have turned out to be false.  

“Videos and other content posted on social media … are part of Russia’s information warfare doctrine,” former Defense Intelligence Agency officer Rebekah Koffler told Fox News Digital. “The goal is to favorably predispose Russia’s population to the government’s actions, in this case, military incursion into Ukraine; and to sway foreigners who are sympathetic to Russia, to see the Russian side of the story.”

Click here to read more on Fox News.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is urging members of the General Assembly Wednesday to “get off of the sidelines and let us together show Russia that it is isolated and alone in its aggressive actions.” 

“Let us show Russia that every other U.N. member state believes that it is time to de-escalate, to come back to the negotiating table and to work toward peace, so Ukrainians can live in security and the tenets of the U.N. charter can be upheld for future generations to come,” she added. 

Thomas-Greenfield also said a larger military conflict in Ukraine could create a massive refugee crisis “with as many as five million more people displaced by Russia’s war of choice and putting pressure on Ukraine’s neighbors.”

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the General Assembly that Russia
is the “aggressor” in the current situation unfolding in Ukraine. 

“There is no middle ground here,” she said. “Calling for both sides to de-escalate only gives Russia a pass. Russia is the aggressor here.” 

Thomas-Greenfield, referencing Russia’s involvement in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and President Vladimir Putin’s speech earlier this week in which he questioned Ukraine’s existence, also said “Russia’s aggression not only threatens all of Ukraine but every member state in the U.N. itself.” 

“President Putin gave us the clearest indication of his intentions on Monday when he asked the world to travel back in time by more than a 100 years before the United Nations even existed to an age of empires,” Thomas-Greenfield continued. “He asserted that Russia can recolonize its neighbors and that he will use force to make a farce of the United Nations. The United States rejects that firmly.” 

Click here to watch on Fox News.

Chinese news media posted instructions to social platforms about how to approach coverage on Ukraine, including a note of China’s need for Russian “support” with Taiwan. 

One outlet appeared to accidentally post guidelines on what should and should not be published, while an editor from another outlet weighed in with guidance on language and approaches that he believed necessary in walking a fine line. 

Ming Jinwei, senior editor at Xinhua News Agency, wrote in his WeChat blog about how his outlet needed to walk a tight line on its Ukraine coverage, noting that China “has to back Russia up with emotional and moral support while refraining from treading on the toes of the United States and European Union.” 

“In the future, China will also need Russia’s understanding and support when wrestling with America to solve the Taiwan issue once and for all,” his post read. Ming said that it “doesn’t hurt” to use moderately pro-Russia language. 

Click here to read more on Fox News.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has told the United Nations Wednesday in New York that “we are at a critical juncture in world history and our actions today define it for decades to come.” 

Kuleba says his country’s some 40 million residents “only wish to live in peace and prosperity, not in fear, intimidation – not under Russian fire, bombs and shelling.” 

“We are currently in the middle of the largest security crisis in Europe since the second world war,” he continued. “This crisis was created and is being escalated by one side unilaterally – by the Russian Federation.” 

“Russia’s accusations of Ukraine are absurd, Ukraine has never threatened or attacked anyone,” Kuleba also said. “Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any such action. Ukraine has never planned and does not plan any military offensive in the Donbas [region], neither any provocations or acts of sabotage.” 

“It is ultimately absurd to suggest that Ukraine could have prepared or anything like this and waited for months until Russia amassed an enormous military force along our borders to proceed with such plans,” he added. “This absurdity defies basic logic.” 

Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation, says ongoing disruptions of government websites are the result of a “new mass distributed denial-of-service attack,” according to Fox News staff on the ground in Ukraine.

“At about 4 pm, another mass DDoS attack on our state began,” Fedorov said on the Telegram messaging service. “We have relevant data from a number of banks, and there are also problems with access to the websites of the Verkhovna Rada [parliament] (already in operation), the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is due to switching traffic to another provider to minimize the damage from the attack.”

All three websites appeared to be operating again Wednesday after being inaccessible earlier.

Click here to watch on Fox News.

This Tuesday satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows new deployments of troops and equipment that have been established in rural areas southwest of Belgorod, Russia, less than 12 miles to the northwest of the border with Ukraine.

The RBC-Ukraine news agency is reporting Wednesday that several government websites have been targeted in a new cyberattack.

The attack is disrupting the websites of the Ukrainian parliament, its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Cabinet of Ministers, according to reports on Twitter.

All three of the websites currently appear inaccessible.

Last week, a round of cyberattacks brought down websites belonging to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, army and popular banks, with Ukrainian officials suspecting Russia as the culprit.

In a joint statement Wednesday, Lithuania and Poland — both close neighbors to Ukraine — said the eastern European country “deserves EU candidate status and the Republic of Lithuania and the Republic of Poland will support Ukraine in achieving this goal.”

“We, the Presidents of Ukraine, the Republic of Poland and the Republic of Lithuania – the Lublin Triangle, gathered in Kyiv on 23 February 2022, express our strongest condemnation of the decision by the Russian Federation
to recognize the quasi-entities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – the so-called ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’ and ‘Donetsk People’s Republic,” the statement read.  

“We urge Russia to de-escalate and to withdraw its armed forces deployed around Ukraine’s borders and in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and to refrain from taking any further military actions,” it added.

Serhii Sternenko discusses what he will do if a further Russian invasion occurs and how Ukrainian allies can help the nation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that “it is not possible for us to give up on either of them” when speaking about Russia and Ukraine, its Black Sea neighbors.

“We have economic, military and economic ties with Russia. We also have political, military and economic ties with Ukraine… Our aim is to take such a step that we can solve this problem without having to give up on neither of them,” Erdogan continued.

Turkey has repeatedly offered to mediate the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

People look into a destroyed house after shelling earlier this week near the front line, near the city of Novoluhanske in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

An armed clash between Ukraine and Russia, coupled with punishing sanctions for Moscow, could push U.S. stocks toward another major loss, according to Goldman Sachs economists.

The S&P 500 entered correction territory Tuesday, down 10% from its last peak, as investors weighed the conflict and fresh U.S. and U.K. sanctions on Russia. For the year, it’s down over 9%. 

In a note this week, Goldman economist Dominic Wilson said the S&P 500 could drop 6.2% in a scenario in which the crisis escalates and “outright conflict” breaks out. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite, meanwhile, could plunge 9.6%. The benchmark is already off over 14% this year. 

“Although Russia/Ukraine tensions appeared to affect primarily local assets in January, spillovers to global assets have been much more obvious in February,” the analyst note said. “If risks flare up further, and we shift to an outright conflict scenario coupled with punitive sanctions, the build in political risk premium would very likely extend.”

Click here to read more on Fox Business.

Hatzalah Ukraine CEO Shlomo Rosilio says that large nations need to abide by their agreements and commitment to protect Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is warning its citizens across the border in Russia to depart “immediately” Wednesday as uncertainty surrounds Russia’s next military moves.

“In connection with the intensification of Russian aggression against Ukraine, which, among other things, may lead to significant restrictions on the provision of consular assistance in the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that Ukrainian citizens refrain from any trips to the Russian Federation,” it said in a statement.

“We emphasize that ignoring these recommendations will make it much more difficult to ensure proper protection of Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation,” the statement added.

Ukraine’s parliament on Wednesday has approved sanctions against 351 Russians following Moscow’s recognition of the Donetsk and Luhansk breakaway regions, according to Reuters.

The sanctions restrict movement into Ukraine and prevent those targeted from access to assets, capital, property and business licenses in the eastern European country.

“We should… impose sanctions against criminals, against every deputy of the State Duma of Russia, who voted for dismembering Ukraine,” lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko was quoted as saying.

A state of emergency is set to be imposed across all regions of Ukraine, according to National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov.

The Russian-backed Donetsk and Luhansk breakaway regions are exceptions, where a special status has remained since 2014. 

The state of emergency must be approved by parliament, though limited opposition is expected.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a video address Wednesday, asserted that the country’s core interests were “non-negotiable” amid tensions with Ukraine – and with the U.S. and other Western nations.

But Putin also said Russia was “always open for direct and honest dialogue,” and was willing to address “the most difficult issues” through diplomacy, according to reports.

Putin’s remarks came on Defenders of the Fatherland Day, the Russian equivalent of Veterans Day in the United States, according to Max Seddon, Moscow bureau chief of The Financial Times of Britain.

Click here to read more on Fox News.

As tensions continue to rise in Ukraine and Russia, U.S. intelligence officials are on the watch for manipulated video and audio that could result in multiple cases of misinformation.

The FBI continues to wage a campaign against illegal deepfakes, as the technology continues to improve.

“Audio, video, text and images that are created to show something that didn’t necessarily happen, or never occurred,” FBI Cyber Division Unit Chief Pranav Shah said of deepfakes.

Shah tells FOX News the technology, once reserved for cyber wizards, is becoming more user-friendly. He says it is getting easier to make these digital deceptions, and they aren’t always illegal. 

Click here to read more on Fox News.

Pope Francis on Wednesday urged Russia and Ukraine to take a step back from the threat of war, saying the latest developments “discredit international law.”

“Once again, the peace of everyone is threatened by vested interests,” the pope said.

The Vatican is walking a fine line as the Church has been attempting to reach out to the Russian Orthodox Church and set up a meeting with its leader.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

After Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen ordered the island’s armed forces to be on alert amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Beijing on Wednesday balked at the comparison, calling the move “self-serving.”

“Taiwan is not Ukraine,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, according to Reuters. “Taiwan has always been an inalienable part of China. This is an indisputable legal and historical fact.” Taiwan considers itself an independent state.

Last weekend, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson drew parallels between the Russia-Ukraine situation and mainland China and Taiwan.

“If Ukraine is endangered, the shock will echo around the world,” he said at the Munich Security Conference. “And those echoes will be heard in east Asia, will be heard in Taiwan. People would draw the conclusion that aggression pays, and that might is right.”

Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that could be taken by force if deemed necessary.

Beijing Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Ma Xiaoguang accused Taiwan of trying to stir anti-mainland sentiment by playing up “so-called military threats” from China, which he called “self-serving,” according to the South China Morning Post.

Sanctions imposed by the White House against Russia “cannot solve a thing” Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador to the U.S., told reporters. His response was posted to the embassy’s Facebook page.

“I don’t remember a single day when our country lived without any restrictions from the Western world,” he said. “We have learned to work in such conditions. And not only to survive, but also to develop our state.”

He continued, “Anti-Russia sanctions will solve nothing. It is difficult to believe that someone in Washington expects Russia to revise its international political line under the threat of restrictions.”

On Tuesday, President Biden announced economic sanctions on Russian banks and Moscow officials, including imposing “full blocking” on two large Russian financial institutions and “comprehensive sanctions” on Russian debt.

Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations Martin Kimani condemned Russia’s actions late Monday, drawing parallels to colonialism in Africa, the Washington Post reported.

“This situation echoes our history,” he told the U.N. Security Council in the viral speech. “Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of empire. Our borders were not of our own drawing. They were drawn in the distant colonial metropoles of London, Paris and Lisbon, with no regard for the ancient nations that they cleaved apart.”

Stock markets in Asia rebounded on Wednesday after global stock prices fell Tuesday over Vladimir Putin ordering troops into eastern Ukraine and sanctions placed on Moscow by the U.S.

“Current U.S. sanctions on Russia are less-than-feared by the market,” said Anderson Alves of ActivTrades in a report. Alves noted American officials have more “acute options” including reducing Russia’s access to the SWIFT system for global bank transactions.

On Wednesday, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.6% to 3,476.15 and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong gained 0.7% to 23,682.90.The Kospi in Seoul advanced 0.5% to 2,720.20 and Sydney’s S&P-ASX 200 added 0.5% to 7,196.40.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 fell to 4,304.76 Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4% to 33,596.61. The Nasdaq composite lost 1.2% to 13,381.52.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday night announced he would be calling up the country’s military reservists to active duty but isn’t ordering a general mobilization because he is seeking a diplomatic solution, according to Reuters.

The decision came after Russia recognized the Russian-backed separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as “independent.”

“We must increase the readiness of the Ukrainian army for all possible changes in the operational situation,” Zelenskyy said in a video.

Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday said the country will impose financial sanctions and travel bans on eight members of Russia’s national security council who he said are helping with the invasion along with two areas of eastern Ukraine held by Russian-backed separatists, according to ABC News Australia.

“The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun. This invasion is unjustified, it’s unwarranted, it’s unprovoked and it’s unacceptable,” the prime minister said. “Australians always stand up to bullies, and we will be standing up to Russia.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the country’s first round of “severe” economic sanctions against Moscow after President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into eastern Ukraine Monday.

Moscow also voted to officially recognize the separatist-backed Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent.

“Russia’s brazen provocations are a threat to security and peace in the world,” Trudeau said in a news conference.

He said Canada will sanction members of Russia’s parliament who voted to recognize the two regions as independent, Canadians will be banned from doing business there and will prohibit dealings with two state-backed Russian banks, according to Reuters. Canadians will also be prohibited from purchasing Russian sovereign debt.

“I am also authorizing the deployment of up to 460 members of the Canadian Armed Forces to Operation Reassurance. This involves more troops to Latvia, as well as the deployment of an additional frigate and maritime patrol aircraft,” he said.