 CNN reports that witnesses heard blasts from military bases near Kiev. (photo: Office of the President of Ukraine) |
On a Facebook message, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said its military had defended and deterred the Russian troops, shot down 5 Russian planes and 1 helicopter. But Russia denied the information.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that it destroyed many infrastructure works at Ukraine’s airbases and disabled the country's air defense system.
Precision-guided weapons have been mobilized to strike key Ukrainian military infrastructure such as air defense systems and airbases. The Russian Defense Ministry said it only targeted Ukrainian military facilities, contrary to previous statements by Western media that some major cities in Ukraine were attacked, including Kiev.
A high-level US official said that the US and its allies plan to activate all sanctions on Russia, which had been discussed over the last weeks. They may include reduction of export to limit Russia from accessing the West’s important technology for Russia’s economic sectors. Sanctions would be imposed on Russian elites and their families, an effort to ensure that those closest to Mr. Putin do not escape the financial pain.