Russia’s military says first day of Ukraine invasion ‘successful’

Russia’s armed forces “successfully” completed all their tasks set for the first day of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Thursday.

“All the tasks assigned to the groups of troops of the RF Armed Forces for the day were successfully completed,” Konashenkov said.

“In total, as a result of the strikes of the Russian armed forces, 83 ground objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine were disabled. Since the beginning of the special military operation, two Su-27s, two Su-24s, one helicopter and four Bayraktar TB-2 attack unmanned aerial vehicles of the Armed forces of Ukraine,” he added, according to state news agency TASS.

Russia’s troops launched a comprehensive attack on Ukraine earlier on Thursday that brought explosions and set off air raid sirens in Kyiv and other cities, officially beginning the military conflict the West has tried for months to dissuade Moscow from starting.

Ukraine’s authorities said at least 40 people, both civilian and military, were killed so far.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia’s forces were trying to seize control of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

“Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the [Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant]. Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated. This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe,” he tweeted.

Russian airborne troops seized control of the Gostomel airfield on the northern outskirts of Kyiv, but Zelensky vowed in a video address that it will be recaptured from the Russians.