MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ukraine cuts ties with Russia after 50 deaths confirmed

Zelensky said Russia's onslaught was “treacherous”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Thursday announced the end of the Ukraine-Russia diplomatic relations. He also confirmed 40 soldiers and 10 civilians had been killed during Russia's multi-front “treacherous” onslaught.

Russian sources also confirmed having incapacitated a large number of Ukrainian military resources, including bases and airfields as President Vladimir Putin's forces sought to “demilitarize” the country which was reluctant to recognize the independence of the two rogue Donbass provinces - Donetsk and Lugansk.

Airstrikes were launched in the areas of Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, while armored vehicles pushed their way from Belarus with support from Belarusian troops. Additional troops entered Ukraine from Crimea, the former Ukrainian territory that Moscow annexed by force nearly a decade ago.

“The state of Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation...,” a statement read on Zelensky's presidential website. “The armed forces of Ukraine are fighting hard battles repelling attacks by the Russian army throughout our country,” added Zelensky, who dubbed Moscow's invasion as “treacherous.”

Zelensky also said in a Twitter message that he was launching an “anti-Putin” coalition, for which he has already held talks with European Commission Speaker Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about “concrete sanctions” and assistance for the Ukrainian military.

Later Thursday, Zelensky also confirmed the first 40 casualties among his troops and promised to arm all citizens who have combat experience and were willing to defend their country.

Russia has already launched attacks against the cities of Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, Donetsk Oblast and Dnipro, after which Ukraine's anti-aircraft defense systems and several air bases collapsed, according to Kremlin sources. A Russian missile was reported to have hit the Vano-Frankivsk airport.

Kyiv sources, on the other side, claim to have killed no less than 50 Russian soldiers. “Ukraine is defending itself,” Zelensky said in a televised address. He added that more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers and around 10 civilians were killed in the conflict.

More than 70 ground infrastructure facilities belonging to Ukraine were neutralized by strikes, Russia's Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters. “As a result of the strikes conducted by Russia’s Armed Forces, 74 ground facilities of Ukraine’s military infrastructure were knocked out of action. Among them are 11 airfields belonging to the Air Force, three command points, a Ukrainian Navy base and 18 radar stations of S-300 and Buk-M1 missile systems,” Konashenkov specified. He added that a combat helicopter and four Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles had been shot down.

The Russian official stressed the strikes were targeting neither Ukrainian cities nor social facilities at military garrisons.

Meanwhile, Western powers were expecting an announcement from US President Joseph Biden later Thursday.