The escalation of geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine has turned into a full-fledged armed conflict in the early hours of Thursday, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced an attack on Ukraine, days after recognizing two breakaway regions as independent. from the neighboring country of Russia. With this movement, the much-feared Russian invasion of Ukraine has begun, while explosions were registered in the capital of Kiev and in other cities of the country.
The United States and Europe have tried in every way to prevent an attack this week, imposing a series of sanctions on Russian individuals, financial institutions and sovereign debt. US President Joe Biden promised more measures to hit the Russian economy after the start of the invasion. Biden spoke with the Ukrainian president, Volodimyr Zelenski, this morning.
The attack has hit financial markets head-on, causing stock markets to crash and global oil prices to skyrocket. Safe-haven securities like gold rise as cryptocurrencies sink with bitcoin down 20% in the past seven days.
INTERNATIONAL CONDEMNATION
The international community has reacted in masse to the attack, with condemnation from both the UN and NATO, which values coordinated action, from the European Union, with a call from both Úrsula Von der Leyen, president of the European Commission and of the Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, to an immediate cessation of the attack. Biden, for his part, has accused Vladimir Putin of initiating an “unjustified and unprovoked attack” against Ukraine and has warned that it will have “catastrophic” consequences.
“President Putin has started a premeditated war that will cause a catastrophic loss in life and human suffering. Only Russia is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will cause, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond decisively. The world will hold Russia accountable for this blatant aggression,” Biden said.
PUTIN THREATENS THE WORLD
Putin has justified this morning “a military operation” against Ukraine under the excuse of a request for help from the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. “The Donbas people’s republics turned to Russia with a request for help. In this regard, I decided to conduct a special military operation. Its goal is to protect people who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.”
Putin added that Russia’s goal is “the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, as well as bringing to justice those who committed numerous bloody crimes against civilians, including citizens of the Russian Federation.”
