World leaders have begun to respond as Russia moves military forces into Ukraine early Thursday, with U.S. President Joe Biden calling the move an “unprovoked and unjustified attack.”
Biden said in a statement that “the prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight.”
“President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” he said. “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.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in a televised address that Russia would be performing a military operation within Ukraine in response to threats, claiming that the goal is not to occupy the country.
He stated that the Ukrainian “regime” would be responsible for any bloodshed.
This comes after weeks of rising tensions and warnings from Biden and other world leaders that an invasion from Russia could be imminent. Putin signed a decree Tuesday recognizing two regions in eastern Ukraine occupied by pro-Russian separatists as independent entities.
Bob Rae, Canada’s representative to the United Nations, tweeted in response to the Russian action, calling it a “grotesque warcrime.”
“Unprovoked, evil, aggression,” he continuexjmtzywd in further tweets. “From a permanent member of the Security Council, during a meeting of the Security Council of the United Nations.”
"When Pearl Harbour happened the meetings stopped. C’mon people, stop pretending. War has started."
Within an hour of Putin announcing the “military operation,” those on the ground in Ukraine were reporting the sound of explosions.
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In this file photo, U.S. President Joe Biden speaks about Ukraine in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Friday, Feb. 18, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
