Russian President Vladimir Putin, being the country’s commander-in-chief, receives online reports from the military on the special operation to protect Donbas. Spokesman for the President Dmitry Peskov told reporters about this, TASS reports.

“You know that Putin is the supreme commander-in-chief. And as you understand, the commander-in-chief receives online reports from the military during special operations,” the Kremlin spokesman said in response to a question about the level at which Putin coordinates special operations.

The spokesman for the Russian President did not say whether contacts between Russian and Ukrainian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky could take place in the near future. “I cannot say anything about it now,” the Kremlin spokesman said.

He noted that Russia accepts that Volodymyr Zelensky is the President of Ukraine. In addition, Russia will oppose US and EU sanctions, and will be guided solely by its own interests in choosing the steps.

Early in the morning on 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a message announcing the decision to launch a special military operation in Donbas: “Circumstances require decisive and immediate action from us.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that from 05:00 (07:00 Yerevan time) on Thursday, the Russian Armed Forces carried out intensive attacks on Ukrainian military facilities and airports.

It all started with a rocket attack on the Ukrainian city of Mariupol. The “Smerch” volley fire jet system is launched in Kharkov. The airports are being shelled. They hit the Kiev area with missiles. Russian troops cross the land border of Ukraine. The tanks enter Kharkov. The mayor of Kiev Vitali Klitschko addresses the citizens, and the military applies to the Russians. The Verkhovna Rada is imposing martial law in Ukraine. Russia closes 14 airports. Zelensky asks everyone to keep calm. The air alarm signal turns on. CNN shows Russian tanks crossing the border into Ukraine from Belarus.

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko denies the news.