Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday announced the decision of severing his country's diplomatic relations with Moscow amid the latter’s military aggression in the Donbas region.
"Kiev is terminating diplomatic relations with Moscow amid Russia's military operation," the Russian News Agency Sputnik quoted Zelenskyy as saying.
"We have severed diplomatic relations with Russia," Zelenskyy said. The Ukrainian authorities will inform the press on how the situation unfolds every hour, he added.
While speaking, Zelenskyy switched to the Russian language to address "Russian people."
"I know that this information is absolutely not shown on your TV channels, a lot of things are blocked on social networks. But blocking is evil, ... it is impossible to block history," he said, before switching back to the Ukrainian language, Sputnik reported.
Earlier today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said military operations were being launched to protect the people in the Donbas region. He also warned other countries to not interfere or face the consequences.
On the other hand, Ukraine has imposed martial law after Russia declared war. Russian troops laying siege in various parts of Ukraine have been reported.
Ukraine’s minister of foreign affairs said that “this is an act of war, an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, a brutal violation of the UN Charter and basic norms and principles of international law. Ukraine has activated its right to self-defence in accordance with international law.” He also said that the country will defend itself from Putin’s “war of aggression” and will win.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden termed Russia’s attack on Ukraine as “unprovoked and unjustified”.
Biden said, “Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring. The US and its allies will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable.”
Leaders from a number of countries including the UK, Canada, and the European Union have also condemned Russia's military aggression.
