ACT OF DEFIANCE
THIS IS the moment a brave Ukrainian woman confronted heavily-armed Russian soldiers hours after they invaded, demanding to know what they were doing in her country.
The furious woman shouted: "What the f*** are you doing in our land?" and told them they would "die" if they remained in Ukraine. A number of Twitter users hailed her courage after footage of the confrontation went viral.
8
8
8
In the short clip, the woman asks the soldiers: "Who are you?" before they respond: "We have exercises here. Please go this way."
After demanding to know if they are Russian, she then says: "So what the f*** are you doing here?"
Trying to calm her down, one of the soldiers responds: "Our discussion will lead to nothing."
Furious, the woman replies: "You're occupants, you're fascists! What the f*** are you doing on our land with all these guns? Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here."
Sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine.
She also brands the soldiers "cursed", and says they "came here uninvited" to her country.
The clip of an angry woman confronting the two soldiers was filmed in the port city of Henichesk on the sea of Azov, less than 18 miles from the annexed Russian territory of Crimea.
One Twitter user, praising the woman, wrote: "The bravery is amazing! Thank you! We stand with you!"
Most read in US News
It comes as protests against the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out around the world, including in Moscow, where Russian police violently broke up demonstrations and arrested scores of their own citizens.
Protests against Vladimir Putin's actions have broken out across the world, including in Russia itself.
In the country's two largest cities Moscow and Saint Petersburg, protesters voiced their support for Ukraine, chanting "there is no war" in a deeply unusual show of defiance.
Around 1,400 people have been detained by Russian police at anti-war protests, including 700 in Moscow and more than 340 in Saint Petersburg, according to opposition groups in the country.
Latest in Ukraine...
- An aircraft has been shot down over Kyiv, with reports claiming it was a Ukrainian SU-27 downed by a Russian surface-to-air missile
- Ukrainian troops have recaptured Kyiv airport following a day of fierce fighting
- Defiant Ukrainian troops armed with British missiles have vowed to defend their homeland against Putin until the bitter end
- Russian forces have captured Chernobyl, sparking fears of a deadly radiation leak at the former nuclear power plant
- An apartment building was hit by an airstrike in the Ukrainian city of Chuhuiv, with multiple casualties feared
- Vladimir Putin warns of 'untold consequences' if the West challenges his invasion of Ukraine
Dramatic pictures and video show police officers dragging away protesters and throwing them into vans.
Unverified footage shows Russian police attacking a woman as a crowd watches on following demonstrations in Russia.
Posting a video of the Moscow rally on Facebook, Anton Herashchenko, a Ukrainian government advisor, wrote: "Ukrainians! Call, write to your friends and acquaintances in Russia - ask them to tell everyone that Russian soldiers are now dying in Ukraine - sons, brothers, fathers!"
In Moscow, protesters gathered in the city's Pushkin Square chanting "No to war!" in the face of a major police presence.
"I feel like Putin has gone crazy," one sobbing female protester, who declined to give her name, told The Telegraph from the Moscow rally.
"A lot of people understand what's going on and realise how far this can go."
Earlier, Russian opposition activist Marina Litvinovich claimed she had been detained as she left her house in Moscow, hours after calling on Russians to go out and protest on Thursday evening.
More than 150 senior Russian officials have signed an open letter condemning Putin's invasion as "an unprecedented atrocity" and warning of "catastrophic consequences".
What the f*** are you doing in our land?
Ukrainian woman
The letter says that they are "convinced" Russian citizens don't back the war, and blames Putin "personally" for ordering troops into Ukraine in an attack "for which there is no and cannot be justification".
Earlier on Thursday, Russian authorities issued chilling warnings to any potential protesters.
The country's Investigative Committee, which tackles major crimes, said any "negative comments" about Putin's invasion would be treated as "treason".
Anti-war demonstrations have taken place outside Russian embassies worldwide, including in London, Berlin, Paris, Sydney, and Tokyo.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Thursday for Ukrainians to "go out" and "protest against this war", days after urging Russians to do the same in a last-ditch attempt to prevent an invasion.
"We have severed diplomatic relations with Russia," he said. "For all those who have not yet lost their conscience in Russia, it is time to go out and protest against the war with Ukraine."
Today, Russian forces captured Chernobyl, sparking fears of a nuclear disaster at the former power plant in northern Ukraine.
Tanks were filmed rolling towards the site of the 1986 nuclear meltdown, with reports workers at the site were taken hostage.
Russian forces are approaching Kyiv, with tanks less than 20 miles from the city home to 2.9m people as of Thursday evening.
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy said 137 people died in the first day of the conflict, adding that his country has been left "alone" to fight against Russia.
He also announced new rules for compulsory military enlistment, banning all men aged between 18 and 60 from leaving the country.
The country's Interior Minister said 10,000 automatic rifles have been given to regular civilians in Kyiv in the past few hours.
In the wake of the full-scale invasion, the value of the Russian ruble plummeted, while huge queues snaked outside of banks as many tried to withdraw foreign currency, sparking fears of an economic collapse.
State-run media in Russia continues to call the invasion a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine, making no mention of civilian casualties or the attacks on major cities.
A widely-shared quote from Putin justifying the military action reads: "Ukrainian radicals can't wait for the right moment to attack Russia."
8
8
8
8
8
Russia launched a full-scale invasion as they assaulted 25 cities, destroyed 75 military installations and 11 airbases.
Troops and tanks surged across the border - many of them emblazoned with the now-infamous "Z" symbol - sparking bloody firefights.
Putin has some 200,000 soldiers ready to move in - encircling the north, south, and east of Ukraine.
And the Kremlin has said the operation will last "as long as necessary" as the raging tyrant claims he wants to "denazify" and "demilitarise" his neighbour state.
The attack began at around 3.30am local time under the cover of darkness.
Pictures showed bloody civilians desperate for help, huge crowds and traffic queues attempting to flee to safety, and people weeping as they came to terms with the violence.
Night has now fallen over Ukraine - and its 44million citizens facing an uncertain future.
On Thursday night, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service banned all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country.
But the Ukrainians have so far reportedly mounted a staunch resistance - allegedly shooting down Russian planes and helicopters, as well as blowing up Putin’s tanks.
Horrifying footage has shown the extent of the assault by the Russians - although exact casualty figures remain unclear.
Helicopters were seen assaulting an airport near Kyiv, Russian flags were raised in southern Ukraine, and huge explosions were recorded across the country.
Global leaders have condemned Russia and pledged to stand with Ukraine - with the world now just one false move from what could become World War 3.
UK Prime Minister announced sanctions on over 100 Russian individuals and entities, while US President Joe Biden convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Ukraine.
Mr Johnson warned of the prospect of "grim" months to come.
"I cannot believe this is being done in your name or that you really want the pariah status it will bring to the Putin regime," he said.
Addressing his bloodied and bruised nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged his people to fight for their homes.
He added: "We will fight for our country and we will support our country in the squares of each town."
Mr Zelenskyy added the armed forces are "ready", Ukraine will not give up its independence and urged people to make blood donations.
"This is a morning which will go down in history - Russia has taken the path of evil," he said.
"Russia has attacked our state in a cunning way like Nazi Germany did in World War 2."
Zelenskyy said the government will provide weapons to people who want them and urged anyone with military experience to step forward.
Major General Valeriy Zaluzhny, the commander of the Ukrainian armed forces, was given orders to inflict "maximum losses" against the invading Russians.
In a televised address, Mr Putin warned other countries that any attempt to interfere with the Russian action would lead to "consequences they have never seen".
He said Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine, and claimed responsibility for the bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian "regime".
Read More on The US Sun
President Biden has announced a new series of sanctions designed to target Russia's elites, top banks, and technology experts.
He said the US would not put troops directly into Ukraine, but would be deployed to NATO's eastern flank.