Andrew Osborn, Polina Nickolskaya

MOSCOW (Reuters). President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation against Ukraine to end a threat to his country in the wee hours of Thursday morning. He stated that his goal was to militarise Russia’s southern neighbor.

Putin directed the Ukrainian military to put down their weapons and get home in an exclusive televised speech on state TV.

I urge you immediately to lay down all your arms and return home. Putin stated that all Ukrainian Army servicemen who comply with this request will be allowed to leave the conflict zone without restriction and go home to their families.

Moscow, according to Russia’s leader, has no other choice than to start the operation. The scope was unclear at the time.

Putin stated, “I have made the decision to lead a special military operations.”

Its purpose is to defend people who were victims of bullying or genocide over the past eight years. This is why we are aiming for the demilitarisation of Ukraine and its denazification.

“And to bring to trial those who perpetrated numerous bloody offenses against civilians including citizens of the Russian Federation.”

Ukraine denies Russian claims of genocide against the people who live in eastern Ukraine seized from Russian-backed separatists. Kyiv said that Putin was seeking an artificial excuse to attack Ukraine.

Putin’s declaration came after the Russian-backed separatists from eastern Ukraine appealed for military assistance against growing Ukrainian aggression.

Kyiv denied such an aggression.

The explosions sounded similar to artillery shelling and were heard by a reporter from Reuters in Kyiv. This was just minutes after Putin’s speech.

Russia cannot be trusted, developed, or exist alongside.

Putin stated that there was a “constant threat emanating out of the territory in modern Ukraine.”

He said that Russia would immediately respond to any foreign force trying to interfere with its actions.

“No one should be able to doubt that direct attacks on our country will result in defeat and horrible consequences for any aggressor,” he stated.

Putin said on state TV that Ukraine’s ruling regime will bear all the responsibility for any bloodshed.

Putin’s remarks come just days after USA claimed that Russia had nearly 150,000 soldiers near Ukraine’s borders.

Putin repeated past complaints about NATO’s failure to fulfill Russia’s security requirements.