Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
The plant was the site of the world鈥檚 worst nuclear accident when a nuclear reactor exploded in April 1986, spewing radioactive waste across Europe. The plant lies 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital of Kyiv.
The exploded reactor has been covered by a protective shelter to prevent radiation leak and the entire plant has been decommissioned.
Zelenskyy said on Twitter that 鈥渙ur defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated.鈥� He added that 鈥渢his is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.鈥�
THIS WAS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP鈥檚 earlier story follows below.
Russia launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling, as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee. Ukraine鈥檚 government said Russian tanks and troops rolled across the border in a 鈥渇ull-scale war鈥� that could rewrite the geopolitical order and whose fallout already reverberated around the world.
In unleashing Moscow鈥檚 most aggressive action since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, President Vladimir Putin deflected global condemnation and cascading new sanctions 鈥� and chillingly referred to his country鈥檚 nuclear arsenal. He threatened any foreign country attempting to interfere with 鈥渃onsequences you have never seen.鈥�
Sirens wailed in Ukraine鈥檚 capital, large explosions were heard there and in other cities, and people massed in train stations and took to roads, as the government said the former Soviet republic was seeing a long-anticipated invasion from the east, north and south. Within hours of the first word of the attack, Ukraine said it was fighting Russian troops just miles from the capital for control of a strategic airport.
The chief of the NATO alliance said the 鈥渂rutal act of war鈥� shattered peace in Europe, joining a chorus of world leaders who decried the attack, which could cause massive casualties, topple Ukraine鈥檚 democratically elected government and upend the post-Cold War security order. The conflict was already shaking global financial markets: Stocks plunged and oil prices soared amid concerns that heating bills and food prices would skyrocket.
Condemnation rained down not only from the U.S. and Europe, but from South Korea, Australia and beyond 鈥� and many governments readied new sanctions. Even friendly leaders like Hungary鈥檚 Viktor Orban sought to distance themselves from Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cut diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared martial law.
鈥淎s of today, our countries are on different sides of world history,鈥� Zelenskyy tweeted. 鈥淩ussia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself and won鈥檛 give up its freedom.鈥�
His adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said: 鈥淎 full-scale war in Europe has begun. 鈥� Russia is not only attacking Ukraine, but the rules of normal life in the modern world.鈥�
While some nervous Europeans speculated about a possible new world war, the U.S. and its NATO partners have so far shown no indication they would join in a war against Russia. They instead mobilized troops and equipment around Ukraine鈥檚 western flank 鈥� as Ukraine pleaded for defense assistance and help protecting its airspace.
In Washington, President Joe Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday to discuss Ukraine as the U.S. prepares new sanctions. Biden administration officials have signaled that two of the measures they were considering most strongly include hitting Russia鈥檚 biggest banks and slapping on new export controls meant to starve Russia鈥檚 industries and military of U.S. semiconductors and other high-tech components.
The attacks came first from the air. Later Ukrainian authorities described ground invasions in multiple regions, and border guards released footage showing a line of Russian military vehicles crossing into Ukraine鈥檚 government-held territory. European authorities declared the country鈥檚 airspace an active conflict zone.
After weeks of denying plans to invade, Putin launched the operation on a country the size of Texas that has increasingly tilted toward the democratic West and away from Moscow鈥檚 sway. The autocratic leader made clear earlier this week that he sees no reason for Ukraine to exist, raising fears of possible broader conflict in the vast space that the Soviet Union once ruled. Putin denied plans to occupy Ukraine, but his ultimate goals remain hazy.
Ukrainians who had long braced for the prospect of an assault were urged to shelter in place and not to panic despite the dire warnings.
鈥淲e are facing a war and horror. What could be worse?鈥� 64-year-old Liudmila Gireyeva said in Kyiv. She planned to flee the city and try to eventually get to Poland to join her daughter. Putin 鈥渨ill be damned by history, and Ukrainians are damning him.鈥�
With social media amplifying a torrent of military claims and counter-claims, it was difficult to determine exactly what was happening on the ground.
Ukraine鈥檚 military chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi said his troops were fighting Russian forces just 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the capital 鈥� in Hostomel, which is home to the Antonov aircraft maker and has a runway that is long enough to handle even the biggest cargo planes. Russian officials said separatist forces backed by Russia in the east have taken a new strip of territory from Ukrainian forces, but have not acknowledged ground troops elsewhere in the country.
Associated Press reporters saw or confirmed explosions in the capital, in Mariupol on the Azov Sea, Kharkiv in the east and beyond. AP confirmed video showing Russian military vehicles crossing into Ukrainian-held territory in the north from Belarus and from Russian-annexed Crimea in the south.
Russian and Ukrainian authorities made competing claims about damage they had inflicted. Russia鈥檚 Defense Ministry said it had destroyed scores of Ukrainian air bases, military facilities and drones, and confirmed the loss of a Su-25 attack jet, blaming it on 鈥減ilot error.鈥� It said it was not targeting cities, but using precision weapons and claimed that 鈥渢here is no threat to civilian population.鈥�
Ukraine鈥檚 armed forces said they shot down multiple Russian aircraft. They reported at least 40 soldiers dead, and said a military plane carrying 14 people crashed south of Kyiv.
Poland鈥檚 military increased its readiness level, and Lithuania and Moldova moved toward doing the same. Border crossings increased from Ukraine to Poland, which has prepared centers for refugees.
Putin justified his actions in an overnight televised address, asserting that the attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine 鈥� a false claim the U.S. had predicted he would make as a pretext for an invasion. He accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Russia鈥檚 demands to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and for security guarantees.
The consequences of the conflict and resulting sanctions on Russia reverberated throughout the world.
World stock markets plunged and oil prices on both sides of the Atlantic surged toward or above $100 per barrel, on unease about possible disruption of Russian supplies. The ruble sank.
Anticipating international condemnation and countermeasures, Putin issued a stark warning to other countries not to meddle.
In a reminder of Russia鈥檚 nuclear power, he warned that 鈥渘o one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to the destruction and horrible consequences for any potential aggressor.鈥�
Among Putin鈥檚 pledges was to 鈥渄enazify鈥� Ukraine. World War II looms large in Russia, after the Soviet Union suffered more deaths than any country while fighting Adolf Hitler鈥檚 forces.
Kremlin propaganda paints members of Ukrainian right-wing groups as neo-Nazis, exploiting their admiration for WWII-era Ukrainian nationalist leaders who sided with the Nazis. Ukraine is now led by a Jewish president who lost relatives in the Holocaust and angrily dismissed the Russian claims.
Putin鈥檚 announcement came just hours after the Ukrainian president rejected Moscow鈥檚 claims that his country poses a threat to Russia and made a passionate, last-minute plea for peace.
鈥淭he people of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace,鈥� Zelenskyy said in an emotional overnight address, speaking in Russian in a direct appeal to Russian citizens.
Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.
The attack began even as the U.N. Security Council was meeting to hold off an invasion. Members still unaware of Putin鈥檚 announcement of the operation appealed to him to stand down. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the emergency meeting, telling Putin: 鈥淕ive peace a chance.鈥�
But hours later, NATO鈥檚 Jens Stoltenberg indicated it was too late: 鈥淧eace on our continent has been shattered.鈥�
鈥擸uras Karmanau, Jim Heintz, Vladimir Isachenkov And Dasha Litvinova, The Associated Press
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