A military cargo truck is pictured in central Kyiv in the morning on February 24, 2022.
Air raid sirens rang out in downtown Kyiv today as cities across Ukraine were hit with what Ukrainian officials said were Russian missile strikes and artillery. AFP
MOSCOW 鈥� The Russian army said Thursday that Moscow-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine were advancing and had gained territory after the Kremlin launched an attack on the country.
Military spokesman Igor Konashenkov told state television that forces of the Donetsk People鈥檚 Republic gained 鈥渦p to three kilometers鈥� (1.8 miles) in territory and those of the Lugansk People鈥檚 Republic 鈥渁dvanced one and a half kilometers.鈥�
He added that Russia had 鈥渉igh precision weapons鈥� and that Ukrainian civilians had 鈥渘othing to fear.鈥�
Konashenkov said the Russia-backed rebel troops are 鈥渘ow fighting and inflicting 鈥� damage on the enemy.鈥�
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was launching an offensive on Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.
He did so after recognizing the two rebel republics in eastern Ukraine and signing friendship treaties with them.
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