On Thursday, thousands of Ukrainians prepared to leave the country in light of Russia’s invasion and the increased intensity of its military onslaught across the eastern European country. The mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitschko, imposed a curfew after footage surfaced showing all major highways out of Kyiv being blocked by hundreds of cars attempting to flee the capital. Klitschko also made vulnerable residents in Kyiv use subway stations as shelters amidst a blitz of Russian missiles. On the same day, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced the closure of the country’s airspace, citing security reasons.
A resident of Kyiv told Reuters that there is an atmosphere of patriotism in the country. Another person from Lviv said, “We will fight this off. Ukraine will win, no matter what.” However, many residents are reportedly still in a state of shock, trying to make sense of what is happening.
2/3 We are working with the authorities, UN, IDP community groups and other partners in Ukraine and are ready to provide humanitarian assistance wherever necessary and possible. Security and access for humanitarian efforts must be guaranteed.
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) February 24, 2022
The United Nations (UN) refugee agency estimated that around 100,000 Ukrainians have already left their homes, noting that the number is likely to increase. The UN said thousands of Ukrainians have already fled to neighbouring countries like Moldova and Romania, urging other countries to keep their borders open, since the situation is expected to get worse.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law and imposed a 30-day state of emergency, affirming that he will stay in Kyiv despite Moscow marking him as the “number one target.” Zelensky said Russia plans to “destroy Ukraine politically by destroying the Head of State,” adding that intelligence reports suggest Russian armed forces had made their way into Kyiv. He also confirmed the death of 137 Ukrainians, 10 of whom were service members.
Those aren't just cars. Those are people -- and families -- trying to escape Kyiv amid Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
— Brendan Keefe (@BrendanKeefe) February 24, 2022
(via AP) pic.twitter.com/OUS4J8iAFi
The Ukrainian President got on a call with 27 different European leaders in an effort to rally them into granting Kyiv accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). However, Zelensky claimed that “everyone is afraid,” and disappointingly noted that “we [Ukraine] are left alone in defence of our state.”
Zelensky hailed the response of Ukraine’s armed forces to the Russian invasion, saying, “The enemy has suffered heavy losses.” In a message to the public, he urged all Ukrainians to take up arms in defence of the country’s sovereignty, adding that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had already set up centres for weapons provisions.
UPDATED MAP: Where Russia has attacked Ukraine: https://t.co/A5tHqDaP5M pic.twitter.com/5UDYD0xjZP
— NBC News (@NBCNews) February 24, 2022
On the second morning of the Russian invasion, Zelensky criticised the international community for not taking enough action to deter Russia, saying, “We are defending our state alone…The world’s most powerful forces are watching from afar.” He emphasised the importance of unity, calling on all citizens to help each other out, and trust only official information. The Ukrainian President asserted that Russia has not only attacked the government, but also the people of Ukraine—drawing comparisons with the Second World War. Zelensky stressed that Moscow must initiate a dialogue with Kyiv as soon as possible to minimise its losses.
Ukraine armed forces are now calling up people of any age to fight against the Russians. All you need to do is bring your passport and you’re in, they say. https://t.co/9Bpw9Rxenb
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 25, 2022