Ukraine’s foreign minister heavily criticized Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, calling it “beyond evil.”
As Russia reportedly bombed hospitals in Ukraine, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter, “Consider this: Putin has launched a massive war of aggression in Europe during a still raging pandemic. On top of that, Russians bomb Ukrainian hospitals now. This is beyond evil. The only moral choice any government can make now is to support Ukraine by all means.”
Consider this: Putin has launched a massive war of aggression in Europe during a still raging pandemic. On top of that, Russians bomb Ukrainian hospitals now. This is beyond evil. The only moral choice any government can make now is to support Ukraine by all means.
— Dmytro Kuleba (@DmytroKuleba) February 24, 2022
On Thursday afternoon, NBC News reported, “57 Ukrainians have died and 169 others injured since the Russian attacks began on Thursday, Ukraine’s Minister of Health Viktor Lyashko said.”
“The report from Lyashko said these were both combat and non-combat injuries but did not differentiate between civilian and military casualties. Medical workers are included in the numbers as the minister reported that hospitals and medical workers have come under fire in areas such as Avdiivka and Vuhlerad,” the outlet added.
The Guardian reported, “The mayor of Kyiv said four metro stations would be used as air raid shelters, while the local Ukrainian leadership in the Donetsk region said Russian forces had hit a hospital there, killing four people, reported Reuters.”
On Thursday morning local time, Russia carried out its invasion of Ukraine.
NBC News noted, “Russia bombarded Ukraine by air, land and sea on Thursday, killing dozens of soldiers and civilians and seizing control of the Chernobyl power plant area, officials said.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier Thursday said, according to the Independent, “Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated,” adding, “This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.”
The Daily Wire reported that Russian forces have taken the abandoned Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the area of the worst nuclear power disaster in history.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak announced Thursday morning that “[after] a fierce battle, Ukrainian control over the Chernobyl site was lost. The condition of the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant, confinement, and nuclear waste storage facilities is unknown,” according to Buzzfeed correspondent Christopher Miller.
On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia, as well as restrictions on what is allowed to be exported to Russia in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine.
As The Daily Wire reported, “Biden said that the sanctions will target Russian elites, banks, and technology exports, which he claimed will cripple Russia’s ability to modernize its military and will damage the Russian economy.”
Biden also discussed the involvement of U.S. troops in the area to keep NATO countries secure.
“Our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict,” Biden said. “Our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east.”
“At the direction of the President, Secretary of Defense (Lloyd) Austin has ordered the deployment to Europe of approximately 7,000 additional Service Members,” the Department of Defense said in a statement. “This would comprise an armored brigade combat team with associated capabilities and enablers. They will deploy to Germany to reassure NATO Allies, deter Russian aggression and be prepared to support a range of requirements in the region. We expect them to depart in the coming days.”