Russia-Ukraine War: Russian military claims to have blocked Kyiv's access to West

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed on Friday that the country's armed forces have essentially blocked Kyiv from the west after successfully landing at the Gostomel airstrip on the outskirts of the Ukrainian capital. Major General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian Defence Ministry's spokesperson, stated that the operation featured more than 200 Russian helicopters. "More than 200 nationalists from the special units of Ukraine were killed during the airfield's capture, whereas, the Russian Armed Forces suffered no casualties," he stated, Sputnik reported. 

According to the ministry, the operation's success was ensured by the Russian military's efforts to suppress the area's air defences, isolate the fighting zone using aviation, and conduct electronic warfare. The deployment of Russian forces followed Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to conduct a special operation on Thursday, February 24. Putin stated that Russia can no longer remain silent while Ukrainian soldiers indulge in killing people in the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), which he described as "genocide." 

Ukrainian military deployed several "Grad" rocket launcher systems: Russia

The Russian President had also urged the Ukrainian military forces to surrender without a fight and to refuse to obey the Ukrainian leadership's "unlawful orders." Putin stated that the Russian operation's key objectives are the defence of the DPR and LPR, as well as the "demilitarisation and denazification" of Ukraine. The Russian Defence Ministry also alleged that the Ukrainian military has positioned multiple "Grad" rocket launcher systems in residential areas in Kyiv in order to provoke casualties among civilians.

Russia ready to resume negotiations if Ukraine's army lay down arms: Lavrov

Spokesperson Konashenkov claimed that the Pentagon and the US Central Intelligence Agency have taught the Ukrainian authorities to use such weapons in populated areas in order to inflict civilian casualties. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that if Ukraine's army agrees to lay down its arms, Moscow would be happy to resume negotiations through diplomatic channels. He also stressed that Russia tried its best to convince Ukraine and its western partners through diplomatic channels.

Image: AP