Ukraine severs diplomatic relations with Russia

Ukraine has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Russia, Ukrainian President Zelensky said, TASS reports. 

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a "special military operation" in the Donbass to "protect the residents of the region from genocide." In his address to the Russians, he said that the Kremlin would seek to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. At the same time, he added, Russia does not want to occupy Ukrainian territories.

The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that the Russian Armed Forces do not launch rocket, air or artillery strikes on the cities of Ukraine - nothing threatens the civilian population of Ukraine, they said. 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced the implementation of martial law in the country, the parliament supported Zelensky's proposal.