Russia Attacks Ukraine As Defiant Putin Warns U.S., NATO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he asked to arrange a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin did not respond.

Russian troops launched a wide-ranging attack on Ukraine on Thursday, as President Vladimir Putin cast aside international condemnation and sanctions and warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to "consequences you have never seen." President Zelenskyy reached out to me tonight and we just finished speaking. I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. I briefed him on the steps we are taking to rally international condemnation, including tonight at the UN Security Council. President Biden releases statement after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in Ukraine. Biden says “the world will hold Russia accountable” @Newsy pic.twitter.com/kRcV1Q6sHY

Ukraine's leadership said at least 40 people have been killed so far in what it called a "full-scale war" targeting the country from the east, north and south. In response, NATO envoys agreed to beef up air, land and air forces on the alliance's eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian border guards released footage of what they said were Russian military vehicles moving in, and big explosions were heard in the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv in the east and Odesa in the west. As the Russian military claimed to have wiped out Ukraine's entire air defenses in a matter of hours, Ukrainians fled some cities and European authorities declared Ukrainian air space an active conflict zone.