On Thursday morning, Russia began a large-scale military attack on Ukraine, its southern neighbour, at the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin stated that Russia would not occupy Ukraine but rather work to “demilitarise” the country. He went on to say that Russia was acting in self-defence and that NATO’s exploitation of Ukrainian land was unacceptably dangerous.

Shortly after his announcement, large explosions were heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa, and other cities across Ukraine. There are also reports of attacks on Ukrainian military infrastructure and Russian convoys entering from all directions.

People sought refuge in Kyiv’s metro stations as the prospect of bombings in the European capital grew. There were also sirens sounding across Lviv, where thousands of Kyivites fled in the past week. Queues formed outside cash machines in cities across Ukraine, and cars jammed Kyiv’s highways as Ukrainians scrambled for safety. All flights out of Ukraine have now been cancelled. Officials in Ukraine have encouraged citizens to seek cover in their basements as the country prepares for missile assaults.

According to Ukrainian military officials, cruise missiles are firing at Kyiv’s airport, and tanks are crossing Ukraine’s northern border with Belarus. Around ten people have been killed, including six in an attack near Kyiv’s capital, Brovary. A man was also killed due to shelling outside of Kharkiv. The Ukrainian armed forces say they have shot down five Russian planes and a helicopter and inflicted casualties on invading troops. Ukraine has proclaimed martial law, putting the military in charge for the time being, and has severed diplomatic ties with Russia. President Zelensky urged Russians to oppose the invasion and stated that guns would be distributed to anybody in Ukraine who requested them.

Several countries, including the US, the UK, the EU, and Turkey, have criticised Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special military operation in eastern Ukraine. His approval came when the United Nations Security Council gathered late Wednesday for its second emergency meeting this week to call for de-escalation and the resumption of diplomatic negotiations.

Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, said Putin had started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and that peaceful cities were on strike.

President Joe Biden has blasted Russia for an unprovoked and unjustifiable attack on Ukraine, saying that the United States and its allies will hold Russia responsible. But Secretary-General Antonio Guterres slammed Russia’s actions, telling President Vladimir Putin to bring your soldiers back to Russia. In a speech to the United Nations Security Council, Guterres urged Putin to give peace a chance.  The World Health Organisation has issued a warning about a potential health emergency in Ukraine. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, has described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a crushing blow to regional peace.

According to the UK Ministry of Defence, Russian soldiers based in Belarus are pushing towards Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and had spoken to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the next steps. Addressing the Ukrainian people directly, Mr. Johnson said: “In this moment of agony, we are with you, we are praying for you and your families, and we are on your side.”

Mr. Johnson tweeted that “President Putin” has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine.”

The prime minister also attempted to reassure the British public that they should do everything possible to keep the nation secure for as long as it takes to restore the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. In a televised address to the nation, he said Western powers would impose massive sanctions to hobble the Russian economy.

Ukrainian protestors demand stronger action from the UK and the international community.

Mr. Johnson was one of the G7 leaders that attended the conference to examine the situation. On Twitter earlier this week, the prime minister called the influx a “catastrophe for our continent.” Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, said the UK should prepare for the economic consequences of Russian sanctions. The threat of fresh UK penalties against Russia comes only a day after Prime Minister Theresa May announced the freezing of the assets of five Russian banks and the exclusion of three Russian billionaires from leaving the country. When commercial flights were still accessible two weeks ago, UK citizens were advised to evacuate Ukraine two weeks ago when commercial flights were available if they thought it was safe to do so. The remaining people have been advised to leave Ukraine as soon as possible.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is a corrupt, failed state and has no right to exist. Thousands more patriotic Ukrainians disagreed and had prepared to defend themselves and their country for years.

On Thursday, as the President of Ukraine imposed martial law, Ukrainians realised with a jolt that everything might change.

“I feel panic, scared and excited. I don’t know who I should ask for help,” said a Kyiv resident. “We didn’t believe this situation would come.”

Many Ukrainian residents have fled due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but some stayed stoic despite missiles falling on various cities and the Russian military attacking from land and sea. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, an estimated 100,000 Ukrainians have fled their homes, with thousands more crossing into neighbouring countries, mostly Romania and Moldova. The chief of the UN refugee agency has warned that Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine will have “devastating implications,” and has urged neighbouring countries to maintain their borders open to people fleeing the conflict.

Queues of people waited to withdraw money and buy food and water in Kyiv. Other citizens rushed to public transportation and crowded roadways to flee the former Soviet republic, which was facing a long-awaited assault from the east, north, and south, according to the administration. Traffic going out of major cities towards the Polish border was jam nation was preparing for an influx of refugees. Following weeks of warnings from Ukrainian and Western leaders that a Russian attack was inevitable, some residents in the three-million-strong metropolis are surprised. During the shelling, a youngster was killed, according to emergency services. Some people were terrified as rockets struck around the country. Others, irritably, adhered to their routines. Many people appeared to be speechless.

Oil prices have already risen to levels not seen in eight years, and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has raised fears of a new energy crisis.

For the first time since 2014, oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel, after Vladimir Putin announced a Russian invasion of Ukraine. On Thursday morning, Brent crude hit a high of $102.48, up more than 5%, as rumours of explosions in Kyiv and other major towns in the country spread throughout the world.

Russia is the world’s second-largest oil and natural gas producer, and one of the main energy providers to the United States and China, the world’s two largest economies. Russia, along with Saudi Arabia, supplied 7% of US petroleum and crude oil imports in 2020, making it the country’s second-largest supplier. That is one of the most plausible reasons why the US has indicated that sanctions against Russia will not target the country’s energy industry in recent days.

The United Kingdom receives 6% of its crude oil and 5% of its gas from Russia, but there are concerns that sanctions may restrict supplies and raise prices globally. On Thursday, the price of UK natural gas futures jumped about 60%. Consumers in the United Kingdom are already paying a high price for energy and fuel, and demand has risen as a result of the relaxation of Covid limitations.

Petrol prices hit a record high of nearly 149.5p on Wednesday, with diesel at 152.83p. Crude oil is traded in dollars, the price of gasoline in the United Kingdom is largely determined by crude oil prices and the exchange rate between the dollar and the pound. Crude oil prices are rising, while the value of the pound against the dollar is falling. The cost of living in the United Kingdom is increasing at its quickest rate in 30 years, as electricity, gasoline, and food costs continue to rise, putting pressure on household budgets. Russia’s supplies do not appear to have been harmed – at least not yet. However, the fear that they will be, and that a race for other resources would ensue, is driving up costs.

Sources: BBC, The Guardian.