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Taoiseach Condemns 'Indefensib...

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Taoiseach Condemns 'Indefensible' Russian Invasion Of Ukraine


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Russia has launched a “full-scale invasion” of Ukraine with air strikes on major cities and troops arriving from the south and east.

Vladimir Putin overnight announced a Russian military operation in the east of the country.

The Russian president claimed the attack was aimed at ‘demilitarising’ Ukraine and insisted Russia did not plan to occupy the country.

In a statement, the Ukraine Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the goal of the Russian invasion was to “destroy the Ukrainian state, to seize by force Ukrainian territory and to establish occupational control”.

Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a "full-scale attack from multiple directions".

Explosions have been reported in several areas of Ukraine amid reported Russian airstrikes, while many residents have begun to flee the capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian airspace has been closed, with Ryanair saying they won't be operating any flights to and from the country for 'at least' two weeks.

There has been immediate and widespread international condemnation of the Russian invasion.

The EU, US and other countries are expected to announce massive sanctions against Russia later today.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is set to attend an emergency EU summit in Brussels later today where leaders are set to sign off on the next round of sanctions.

Mr Martin said EU leaders will be adopting the most severe package of sanctions against Russia it has ever considered.

He said it would aim to hit Vladimir Putin and his henchmen where it hurts most by targeting their assets and banks.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, meanwhile, called the invasion an "act of blatant aggression on a country in Europe".

Simon Coveney said that while Ireland is not militarily aligned with anyone and is not a member of NATO, “we are not neutral on an issue like this”.

Main image: A column of army trucks moves across the town of Armyansk, northern Crimea. Picture by: Sergei Malgavko/TASS/Alamy Live News

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