Russia and its allies from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics launched a military operation in Ukraine on Thursday aimed at "demilitarising and denazifying" the country in the face of a security crisis of a scale unseen in Europe in decades.
As Russian forces march closer to the capital city of Kyiv, the international community is sending military aid to Ukraine. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling on nations to inflect financial punishments on Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine.
The smell of blood and sounds of gunfire and wailing car alarms woke residents in Kyiv on Friday as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine's capital city for the first time.
Those on the political left who previously ridiculed American civilians with firearms are suddenly in favor of them as Ukrainians prepare to defend themselves against Russia.
Russia's leader says Moscow seeks "demilitarization and denazification" of Ukraine, tells Ukrainian army to lay down weapons, warns of response to foreign intervention.
"The decision will allow to coordinate at most all authorities, regional state administrations in the conditions of martial law," said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
