Ukrainian president announces severing of diplomatic ties with Russia
2022-02-25 08:50:29Source: Xinhua News Agency
Xinhua News Agency, Kiev, February 24 (Reporter Li Dongxu) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference on the 24th that Ukraine has severed diplomatic relations with Russia.
Zelensky said that the Russian army entered Ukraine, and the Ukrainian armed forces were fighting hard. The Ukrainian army repelled Russian attacks in the Donbas region, as well as in the eastern, northern, and southern regions of Ukraine. He said that the Russian army suffered heavy losses and will suffer even more losses.
On February 24, in Kiev, Ukraine, local residents walked down the street with purchased supplies. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Dongxu)
Zelensky also released a video speech on the same day, saying that according to the decision of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Committee, the Ukrainian government began to distribute weapons to all Ukrainians who are capable and willing to defend the country. Every Ukrainian with combat experience can join the fight, and they should report to the relevant department of the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately. He hoped that the Ukrainian people would remain calm and try not to go out. Zelensky also said that the Central Bank of Ukraine and the national banking system have all the resources to keep the country running and safeguard the interests of the Ukrainian people.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the 24th saying that it has initiated legal procedures to sever diplomatic relations with Russia.
The statement said that the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is evacuating the staff of the Ukrainian embassy in Russia, and the Ukrainian consulate in Russia will continue to work as usual.
On the 22nd, Ukraine has recalled its Chargé d’affaires ad hoc in the Russian embassy. On the 23rd, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency saw in front of the Russian embassy in Ukraine that Russian diplomats were leaving Kiev by car one after another under the protection of Ukrainian security personnel.
Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) voted on the 24th to pass a presidential decree on the implementation of a wartime state throughout Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised speech early on the 24th that he had decided to launch a special military operation in the Donbas region. (Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Bai Xueqi)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised speech early on the 24th that he had decided to launch a special military operation in the Donbas region. Putin says Russia has no plans to occupy Ukraine. According to the TASS news agency quoted the Russian Ministry of Defense on the 24th, the Ukrainian military infrastructure is being hit by high-precision weapons, but the Russian armed forces will not carry out artillery or air strikes on Ukrainian cities, and the actions will not threaten civilians.