Russia’s defence ministry says it has attacked military infrastructure at Ukrainian air bases and degraded Ukraine’s air defences, according to reports by Russian news agencies.
The ministry denied reports that one of its aircraft had been shot down over Ukraine. Ukraine’s military said earlier that five Russian planes and one helicopter had been downed in the country’s eastern Luhansk region.
Al Jazeera was unable to independently verify the claims made by both sides.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, has ordered a special military operation in Ukraine’s Donbas region.
According to ABC News, Putin announced on television that Russia would not tolerate the threats from Ukraine.
Ukraine’s interior ministry said Russia has begun attacks on the country.
Explosions were reportedly heard in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kramatorsk and in other parts of Ukraine.
The attacks were said to have targeted key infrastructure in the country.
US President Joe Biden condemned the attacks, describing them as unprovoked.
He said Putin has chosen a “premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering”.
He said the US and its allies — members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) — will deliver a decisive response.
”Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. The world will hold Russia accountable,” Biden said.
Putin had ordered troops into separatist-held parts of eastern Ukraine in what he called a “peacekeeping” mission.
The order came just hours after he signed decrees recognising the independence of the Moscow-backed regions.
The decrees signed by Putin conveyed Moscow’s official recognition of two breakaway territories in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine — the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic (DPR and LPR).
The decrees recognised them as independent states and guaranteed their security with Russian troops. The decrees also said Russian peacekeeping forces would be deployed in the areas.
