US President Joe Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a "premeditated war" against Ukraine.
The statement came after Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine, with reports of explosions and flares coming minutes afterwards.
The prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as they suffer an unprovoked and unwarranted attack by Russian military forces, Biden said in his statement.
The statement said that Russia was responsible for the death and destruction.
Biden said that he will receive regular updates from his national security team and that he is monitoring the situation from the White House. The president will address the American public about the consequences of Russia's act of aggression against Ukraine and global peace and security.
We will coordinate with our NATO Allies to ensure a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance.
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian minister of foreign affairs, confirmed the attack on his account. There are strikes in Ukrainian cities. There is a war going on. Ukraine will win. The world can stop Putin. The time to act is now.
Less than an hour after NBC Nightly News aired an interview with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in which he warned that everything seems to be in place for Russia to mount a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin launched his military assault against Ukraine.
A senior defense official told reporters Wednesday that a large-scale invasion may be imminent and that Russian forces were ready.
CNN reported that there were blasts from near Kyiv to the eastern city of Kharkiv after Putin announced the assault.
Marco Rubio, who sits on the US Senate Intelligence Committee, said that Russia is trying to trap Ukrainian forces in the east by establishing air superiority via targeted surgical strikes. He said that Russia is trying to topple the government in Ukraine by targeting government buildings.
It has not been independently confirmed that he said where he was getting the information from.
After Putin launched his assault, other global leaders condemned him.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg released a statement saying that Russia's attack was reckless and put at risk countless civilian lives.
He said that NATO allies will meet to address Russia's renewed aggression and that this is a grave violation of international law.
The secretary general of the United Nations said this was the most sad moment of his tenure.
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