MOSCOW: The Ukrainian military death toll from the Russian invasion rose to three Thursday, the border guard service said, with confirmed losses suffered along the southern border with Kremlin-annexed Crimea.
The Russian armed forces were trying to invade Ukraine from several directions, using rocket systems and helicopters to attack Ukrainian position in the south, the border guard service said.
Russia’s defence ministry said Thursday it had neutralised Ukrainian military airbases and its air defence systems, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military offensive against his country’s neighbour.
“Military infrastructure at Ukrainian army air bases has been rendered out of action,” the defence ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies, which added that Kyiv’s air defence systems were “eliminated”.
Ukraine’s Zelensky has imposed martial law and urged citizens to stay calm, as his government vowed to do “everything in its power” to defend Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military claimed to have downed five Russian planes and a helicopter in the east of the country near a rebel-held enclave.
Zelensky, an actor-turned-leader, also spoke by phone with US President Joe Biden, who led international condemnation of Putin’s war.
Biden called the attack “flagrant aggression” and vowed the “world will hold Russia accountable”.
The US and other members of the G7 are expected to announce further sanctions on Thursday.
Shockwaves
The world’s financial markets quickly responded to the the news of Russia’s assault.
Stock markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Sydney plunged and oil prices broke above $100 a barrel.
The ruble slumped nine percent against the US dollar and trading was suspended indefinitely on the Moscow and Saint Petersburg stock exchanges.
Gold and the Japanese yen — safe havens in times of crisis and turmoil — jumped.
Flights over Ukraine and from cities in southern Russia were cancelled.