Just minutes after Vladimir Putin gave a public address announcing an invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces launched a wide-scale assault on the country, including its capital, Kyiv.
Throughout the evening and into Thursday, Russian jets and ballistic missiles have shelled the region, taking out airports, barraging major cities, and striking individual homes.
From Ukraine’s Aeroflap News:
“According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the following airports/airbases were damaged by missiles: Boryspil (Kyiv), Chuguev/Chuhuiv (Kharkiv), Kramatorsk (Donetsk), Kherson, Kulbakino (Nikolaev, east of Odessa) and Ozerne (Zhytomyr).
The interest of doing damage early on in attacks is to prevent an air offensive against Russian forces on the ground or in the air. At the same time, with calculated and GPS-guided attacks, Russia manages to destroy the Ukrainian defense arsenal with weapons, fighters, aircraft, radar, missiles and anti-missile systems.”
Here are some of the most eye-opening scenes from the ground in Ukraine, where citizens are now being told to fight for their lives by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kherson airportpic.twitter.com/qvvDAsFPLP
— marqs (@MarQs__) February 24, 2022
🇺🇦⚡️Nikolayev airport in Kherson after Russian strikes. pic.twitter.com/AVmPJE41y5
— OSINT UKRAINE (@OSINT_Ukraine) February 24, 2022
Another shows the Ukrainian Military Air Base at Kulbakinko. The runway and critical infrastructure was completely destroyed by a Russian ballistic missile attack.
Watch:
Footage from inside the Ukrainian Kulbakino Air Base as the runway and another position was destroyed by Russian ballistic missiles. pic.twitter.com/1kM7XUoLbl
— CaucasusWarReport (@Caucasuswar) February 24, 2022
In one jaw-dropping video, a group of people can be seen fleeing the Ivano-Frankvisk International Airport when a cruise missile speeds on-screen and strikes the building behind them, causing a massive explosion.
Absolutely horrifying.
WATCH: Missile hits airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine pic.twitter.com/EnskxXhpnq
— BNO News (@BNONews) February 24, 2022
Reportedly Russian surface-to-air missile systems driving through Kherson oblast pic.twitter.com/DYvwMXPTx2
— Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) February 24, 2022
This WILD video shows a Russian jet laying down fire and then finding itself in the crosshairs of Ukrainian anti-aircraft guns. Watch:
#Ukraine #Warzone #BREAKING pic.twitter.com/8FvMTDRjXH
— 𝑱𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒐 (@Jeankarlove) February 24, 2022
Lastly, this heartbreaking clip shows what Ukrainian citizens are dealing with under Putin’s attacks. This video shows a Russian fighter jet launching missiles into a residential area from the point of view of a neighbor. Startling footage.
Watch:
Holy shit this is sad. Hopefully the world steps up and grabs their balls. pic.twitter.com/ux9FWUS2G7
— BeatinTheBookie.com™️ (@BeatinTheBookie) February 24, 2022