Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Wednesday night, Feb. 23, ending weeks of diplomatic stalemate and plunging Eastern Europe into the kind of chaos not seen since the darkest days of World War II.
Putin claimed Russia was undertaking a “special military operation” to demilitarize and “denazify” the country under the guise Russia was defending itself.
He announced the operation in a live televised speech that aired before 6 a.m. local time, and threatened countries that attempt to interfere with “consequences” they have never seen.
Immediately after the speech, explosions were reported in Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv, Kramatorsk, Kharkiv, Odessa, and Mariupol.
