KYIV -- The Russian Armed Forces have attacked multiple locations since Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized on Thursday morning "a special military operation" in Donbass.

Moscow expressed its willingness to talk with Kyiv with a focus on obtaining a guarantee of neutral status and non-deployment of offensive weapons in Ukraine. Here is a timeline of some major events related to the current crisis:

Feb 25, 2022

-- A total of 137 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and another 316 injured on the first day of the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video message on Thursday night.

Feb 24, 2022

-- US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday additional sanctions against Russia and the deployment of more troops to Europe as conflicts in Ukraine continue to evolve.

-- Advisor to head of the President's Office of Ukraine Mykhailo Podoliak said Russian forces seized Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported.

"After a fierce battle, our control over the Chernobyl site has been lost," Podoliak said.

-- The Russian Defense Ministry said that a total of 11 airfields, three command posts, a Ukrainian naval base, and 18 radar stations of the S-300 and Buk-M1 air defense missile systems were among the facilities destroyed.

-- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin has expressed his preparedness to engage in discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart with a focus on obtaining a guarantee of neutral status and non-deployment of offensive weapons in Ukraine.

-- Ukraine on Thursday severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law in the country following Russia's military operation.

-- According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian Armed Forces are destroying "military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, aviation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" with high-precision weapons, not targeting Ukrainian cities.

-- Putin on Thursday authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass.

"Our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force," Putin said in a televised speech to the nation, noting that Russia's move is in response to "fundamental threats" of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization which has expanded to eastern Europe and brought its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.

-- According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian Armed Forces are destroying "military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, aviation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" with high-precision weapons, not targeting Ukrainian cities.

-- Ukraine on Thursday severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared martial law in the country following Russia's military operation.

Feb 21, 2022

-- The Russian Security Council held an extraordinary meeting, when the country's top officials supported the recognition of Lugansk and Donbass.

-- Putin signed two decrees recognizing Lugansk and Donbass as independent and sovereign states.

At a ceremony held in the Kremlin, Putin also inked the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between Russia and Lugansk and Donbass respectively.

-- Through a statement attributable to his spokesperson, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for "peaceful settlement" of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, as endorsed by the Security Council in resolution 2202 (2015).

-- At the Security Council emergency meeting on Ukraine, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Zhang Jun, called on all parties concerned to seek "reasonable solutions" to the Ukraine issue.

Feb 18, 2022

-- An explosion occurred close to "DPR government building." Local armed groups in eastern Ukraine ordered the evacuation of civilians to Russia, citing the danger of a possible military offensive.

Feb 17, 2022

-- The Ukrainian military claimed that local armed groups in eastern Ukraine launched shelling on the area controlled by government forces. Local armed groups in eastern Ukraine accused the Ukrainian government forces of first using heavy weapons to attack areas under their control. Tensions in eastern Ukraine continued to escalate.

Feb 2, 2022

-- The United States decided to deploy additional troops to Europe, including 1,000 troops to be repositioned to Romania and another 2,000 troops to be sent from the United States to Germany and Poland, in preparation for what it claimed to be an "imminent" Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Jan 26, 2022

-- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States has delivered a written letter to Russia addressing Moscow's concerns amid escalating tensions on Ukraine's border.

Jan 22, 2022

-- The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said the first shipment of military aid from the United States arrived in Kyiv.

Jan 10-13, 2022

-- The latest round of talks aimed at defusing tensions between Russia and the West within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe ended without a breakthrough as both sides warned of potential escalation.

Dec 10, 2021

-- The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded "legal guarantees" that NATO wouldn't expand eastward.

Feb 7, 2019

-- The Ukrainian parliament passed a constitutional amendment stating Ukraine's commitment to joining NATO.

Feb 12, 2015

-- The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France announced a peace deal in the Belarusian capital of Minsk, which envisaged a ceasefire between Ukrainian government troops and local armed groups in eastern Ukraine.

Dec 23, 2014

-- The Ukrainian parliament renounced Ukraine's "non-aligned" status with the aim of deepening cooperation with NATO.

Sept 5, 2014

-- Then Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and local armed groups in eastern Ukraine signed a ceasefire protocol in Minsk, where envoys from the two warring sides as well as Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe held talks for a possible political solution to the crisis.

April 2014

-- Unrest erupted in eastern Ukraine, where protesters seized government buildings, demanding a referendum on autonomy and closer ties with Russia.

February 2014

-- Amid rising protests, Ukraine's parliament voted to dismiss then President Viktor Yanukovych and set early elections.

November 2013

-- The Ukrainian government suspended the signing of partnership agreements with the European Union to avoid straining ties with Russia, triggering widespread protests, which soon snowballed into a violent nationwide movement against the authorities.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he wants to hold negotiations with Russia over its military operation.

Zelensky made the remarks in a televised address, according to a statement published in the president's official website.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass, and Ukraine confirmed that military installations across the country were under attack.

At least 137 Ukrainians were killed and more than 300 injured in the military operation, Zelensky earlier said.

President Xi Jinping said on Friday that China supports Russia and Ukraine in resolving their tensions through negotiations, reiterating Beijing's consistent position in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries and upholding the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

Xi made the remarks in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin after the Ukraine issue escalated on Thursday.

He said China decides its position based on the merits of the Ukrainian issue. It maintains that the Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned, countries' reasonable security concerns should be respected and a balanced, effective and sustained European security mechanism should be finally formed through dialogue and negotiation, Xi added.

For his part, Putin said that the Russian side is ready to hold high-level negotiations with the Ukrainian side.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

UNITED NATIONS - Abdulla Shahid, president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on Thursday called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and peaceful means to settle disputes.

"I call for an immediate ceasefire, deescalation of tensions and a firm return to diplomacy and dialogue," said the UNGA president in a statement.

Underscoring that the UN Charter is based on the principle of sovereign equality, Shahid called on all member states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means.

"I renew my call to all member states to uphold their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law," said the UNGA president.

"The safe and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its people is a priority and the need of the hour," he said.

WASHINGTON - US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that lawmakers on Capitol Hill want to provide Ukraine with "lethal defense weapons" worth 600 million US dollars to help Kyiv defend itself against military attack from Russia.

Earlier in the day, US President Joe Biden announced further economic sanctions against Russia, as well as the deployment of additional US troops to Europe.

Biden reiterated that no US forces will be sent into Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass. Ukraine confirmed that military targets across the country were under attack.

"Our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force," Putin said in a televised speech to the nation, noting that Russia's move was in response to "fundamental threats" from NATO, which has expanded to eastern Europe and brought its military infrastructure closer to Russian borders.

KYIV -- Two explosions were heard on Friday in central Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, as the Russian special military operation against Ukraine entered the second day, local media reported.

There was no air raid alert around the time of the blasts, which the local authorities have not yet confirmed, according to Interfax - Ukraine news agency.

Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko wrote in a telegram that he had just heard two powerful explosions, which he later clarified as "attacks by our air defenses on enemy planes or drones," citing operative information.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko tweeted that three people were injured, one in critical condition, after missile debris hit a residential building.

He also posted a photo showing a building with part of its wall torn down and emergency services present at the scene.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized "a special military operation" in Donbass, and Ukraine confirmed that military installations across the country were under attack.

Ukrainian airfields, command posts, naval bases and radar stations were among the facilities destroyed, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

NEW YORK - Oil prices finished higher on Thursday with both the US crude benchmark and Brent exceeding $100 a barrel in intraday trading, as traders assessed geopolitical tensions over Ukraine.

The West Texas Intermediate for April delivery added 71 cents to settle at $92.81 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, after hitting a session high of 100.54 dollars. Brent crude for April delivery increased 2.24 dollars to close at 99.08 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange, after touching 105.77 dollars earlier in the session.

Both crude benchmarks hit their highest intraday level since 2014.

The oil rally came as the tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated into a military conflict overnight.

Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized on Thursday "a special military operation" in Donbass, and Ukraine confirmed that military targets across the country were under attack.

Market participants feared that the escalating Russia-Ukraine tensions would disrupt energy supplies, experts noted.

Traders also parsed newly-released weekly US fuel inventory data.

US crude oil stockpiles increased by 4.5 million barrels during the week ending Feb 18, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported on Thursday. Analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts had forecast the US crude inventories to show a fall of 0.3 million barrels.

According to the EIA, total motor gasoline inventories and distillate fuel inventories both decreased by 0.6 million barrels last week.

UNITED NATIONS -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced Thursday that the world body will allocate $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to meet the urgent needs in Ukraine, which is in the midst of a military conflict with Russia.

"Today I am announcing that we will immediately allocate $20 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to meet urgent needs," the UN chief told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.

"We and our humanitarian partners are committed to staying and delivering, to support people in Ukraine in their time of need," said the secretary-general.

He said that UN staff are working on both sides of the contact line, "always guided by the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and independence."

"We are providing lifesaving humanitarian relief to people in need, regardless of who or where they are," he said.

"The protection of civilians must be priority number one," noted the top UN official. "International humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld."

Some market analysts believe that the escalation of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine may affect the supply of raw materials for semiconductor production, further pushing up the global chip price and the risk of a chip shortage.

US President Joe Biden announced Thursday that the US will sanction Sberbank, Russia's largest lender, and four other financial institutions that represent an estimated $1 trillion in assets. He said the actions will limit Russia's ability to do business "in dollars, pounds, euros and yen" and "every asset they have in America will be frozen".

NEW YORK - US stocks finished higher on Thursday, reversing the massive losses earlier in the session, as investors assessed the geopolitical tensions over Ukraine.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 92.07 points, or 0.28 percent, to 33,223.83. The S&P 500 climbed 63.20 points, or 1.50 percent, to 4,288.70. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 436.09 points, or 3.34 percent, to 13,473.58.

Earlier in the day, all the three major indexes fell sharply with the Dow dropping more than 800 points at the lows.

Seven of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in green with technology up 3.47 percent, leading the gainers. Consumer staples slipped 1.71 percent, the worst-performing group.

The stunning market comeback came as investors closely followed updates regarding the Russia-Ukraine tensions.

US President Joe Biden announced on Thursday additional sanctions against Russia and the deployment of more troops to Europe as conflicts in Ukraine continue to evolve.

Meanwhile, Biden reiterated that "our forces are not and will not be engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine, our forces are not going to Europe to fight in Ukraine but defend our NATO allies and reassure those allies in the east".

The announcement was made hours after leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) countries met virtually to coordinate their responses to Russia's military actions in Ukraine.

"I guess people felt relieved that it wasn't as bad as what they thought," Larry Benedict, CEO & founder of The Opportunistic Trader, a US market research firm, told Xinhua.

"I do think, though, that the market is not out of the woods," he said, adding "the bottom line is that you will see a lot more volatility" as the current situation is complicated by worries over rising US interest rates.

According to the CME Group's Fedwatch tool, investors are betting that there is a 100-percent chance of a rate hike at the Federal Reserve's March meeting.

KYIV -- Kyiv has plunged into chaos after Russian forces launched a military offensive against Ukraine.

Terrified people have been queuing for hours to get fuel, food and medicine.

Many left Kyiv to seek shelter in western Ukraine, building up kilometers-long traffic jams.

"We were not able to leave, there were terrible traffic jams... We saw people walking from Kyiv just along the highway, with children, animals, suitcases," 28-year-old Iryna told Xinhua.

Iryna was forced to return to her home in Kyiv.

"Today we will sleep in the dressing room, there are no windows there," Iryna said.

Oksana, a 40-year-old manager, said she was hiding in an underground parking area after an air defense alarm in Kyiv.

"I keep my bag at the door, I'm afraid that the attack on the city will continue," Oksana said.

Oksana lives on the left bank of Kyiv. She said explosions were heard near her home the whole day.

"Like all people in my country, I am scared," she added, crying.

Earlier on Thursday, Russia launched a military operation against Ukraine.

MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with leaders of several countries, the Kremlin said Thursday.

Putin had a telephone conversation with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, explaining how the situation around Ukraine is evolving.

Raisi expressed understanding with respect to Russia's security concerns caused by the destabilizing actions of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Issues relating to the diplomatic efforts to preserve and fully implement the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on Iran's nuclear program were reviewed, the Kremlin said, adding that it was noted that reaching a final agreement on the JCPOA would contribute to regional stability and security.

Putin also briefed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Moscow's stance on the Ukraine issue.

"When discussing the situation, Putin outlined his fundamental assessments of Kiev's aggressive actions against the civilian population of Donbass, as well as about Kiev's many years of destructive policy aimed at breaking the Minsk agreements," the Kremlin said.

Modi thanked Putin for the clarification and asked for assistance in ensuring the security of Indian citizens currently in Ukraine.

Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron also discussed the situation in Ukraine during a phone conversation.

According to the Kremlin, both sides had a "serious and frank" exchange of views on the situation around Ukraine.

The Kremlin added that Putin gave "comprehensive explanations of the reasons and circumstances for the decision to conduct a special military operation."

Putin on Thursday authorized "a special military operation" in the Donbass region, and Ukraine confirmed that military targets across the country were under attack.

China always respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and also understands Russia's reasonable security concerns, as a complicated and special history lies behind the Ukraine issue, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday.

Talking with Lavrov over the phone, Wang said China calls for a complete renunciation of any Cold War mentality, as well as a security system for Europe that is balanced, effective and sustainable and achieved through talks and negotiations.

Lavrov said Russia was forced to take necessary measures as the United States and NATO went back on their promises of not expanding the organization eastward, refused to implement the Minsk II agreement and violated Resolution 2202 of the United Nations Security Council.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday that Russia, an independent major country, decides and implements its diplomacy and strategies based on its own judgment and national interests.

She said that China-Russia ties are non-alliance, non-confrontation and do not target any third parties.

Hua made the remarks at a news conference after US State Department spokesman Ned Price said China should urge Russia to "back down" and "de-escalate" tensions with Ukraine, and added the growing China-Russia partnership is "concerning".

On the US suggestion that Moscow made the move because it had gained China's support, Hua said she believed the Russian side will be "very displeased to hear such a notion".

China-Russia ties are fundamentally and essentially different from the "small groups" the US has been pursuing, based along ideological lines, to create confrontation and separation, Hua said. "China is not interested in, and does not intend to imitate the 'enemy or friend' Cold War mentality or the practice of patching up so-called 'alliances' and 'small cliques'," she added.

Hua said the US is unqualified to tell China what to do about respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China has consistently and firmly safeguarded the UN Charter's tenets and principles, as well as the basic norms guiding international relations, Hua said.

However, in the 250 years since its foundation, the US has only refrained from waging military operations in other countries for less than 20 years, she said.

"Such a country surely has a different understanding of respecting state sovereignty and territorial integrity than we do," Hua said. "The international community knows this clearly."

When asked whether China has provided or plans to provide any weapons to Russia, Hua said China does not take the initiative to provide weapons to others facing the risk of conflict, "unlike when the US provided a large amount of military equipment to Ukraine".

Kyiv severs relations with Moscow, offers to arm citizens who want to fight

Tensions escalated over the Ukraine situation on Thursday as Russian troops launched a "special military operation" authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Kyiv decides to sever ties with Russia.

Putin said in a televised urgent address that the operation was launched after the "authorities of Donetsk and Lugansk" requested assistance in "repelling Kyiv's military aggression".

He said that Moscow would seek the "demilitarization and denazification" of Ukraine, called upon the Ukrainian army to lay down its weapons and that any attempts at foreign intervention would be met with a prompt response.

Moscow's plans do not include an occupation of Ukraine, Putin said, adding that the Ukrainian people have a right to self-determination.

He also said that Russia could not allow Kyiv to obtain nuclear weapons and recalled NATO's "illegitimate expansion" to the east.

Shortly after Putin spoke, reports emerged that there were explosions in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and power had been cut.

Reuters reported that Russian missiles rained down on Ukrainian cities starting on Thursday morning. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders into the eastern Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Lugansk regions, and landings by sea made at the cities of Odessa and Mariupol in the south.

Russia's Defense Ministry reported later on Thursday that Russian troops were not striking Ukrainian cities. It emphasized that Ukrainian military infrastructure was being destroyed by precision weapons.

According to the ministry, Ukraine's air defenses had been suppressed, military airfield infrastructure had been damaged and Ukrainian border guards were not putting up any resistance to Russian troops.

Explosions could be heard before dawn in Kyiv. Gunfire rattled out near the main airport and sirens blared across the city.

Ukraine's President Zelensky announced that diplomatic relations with Russia had been cut, the country's state media Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian parliament endorsed a presidential order declaring martial law.

Zelensky also called on all citizens who were ready to defend the country to come forward, saying Kyiv would issue weapons to everyone who wants them.

The Kyiv government sounded air raid sirens more than once in the morning. People poured into supermarkets to buy water and food, and roads toward the west were blocked by massive traffic jams as residents tried to escape the capital.

A resident of Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, the closest big city to the Russian border, said windows in apartment buildings were shaking from constant blasts. The city was gripped by panic as people tried to flee, said the resident, who asked not to be identified.

Meanwhile, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine announced in the morning that the border with Belarus had been attacked by troops from Russia and Belarus.

CNN reported tanks from the Belarusian Armed Forces moving from Belarus to Ukraine. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko denied the report, saying his country had not participated in Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

Lukashenko added, however, that Belarusian troops could be used in the operation against Ukraine if needed.

Russia claimed that two Ukrainian Air Force Su-24 jets had been shot down, and lots of Ukrainian government soldiers in Lugansk refused to take orders and began leaving the front line.

But the Ukrainian military soon denied that and said they had shot down six Russian fighter jets and helicopters. They said one of their military units in Odessa had been attacked by a Russian airstrike, leaving six dead, seven wounded and 19 missing.

Agencies contributed to this story.

What has befallen Ukraine is by no means what United States President Joe Biden called "an unprovoked and unjustified attack" by Russia. It is his administration that has continuously escalated the tensions by steadfastly ignoring Russia's security concerns and forcing Moscow to accept that the threatening expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was not a matter for negotiation.

In saying that "we are not going to be in a war with Russia or putting military troops on the ground fighting Russia" on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki made it clear that the Biden administration was inviting such a move.

In the Washington's calculations, sucking Russia into Ukraine no doubt offers the United States a number of benefits. It can claim the moral high ground and continue to portray Russia as being an agent of evil, and by default any countries that are friendly with it.

With the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline project suspended, something that has long been a thorn in the flesh of the US economy and its policy approach toward Europe, the European countries will have to rely more on energy resources from the US or the energy providers it controls, although at a higher price, binding their economies closer to it.

It also helps breathe life into "brain-dead" NATO so that the US can tighten the security shackles it has imposed upon European countries and which they were trying to loosen. The European countries have predictably indicated that they intend to tie themselves closer to the US security umbrella, scuppering any notions the European Union may have had of greater autonomy in its foreign relations.

It helps support the dollar hegemony that is propping up the US economy as well. As one of the major grain producers in the world and main food exporter to Europe, the war in Ukraine will directly affect its grain output and aggravate Europe's dependence on US grains. And no doubt any Western sanctions will target trade with Russia, which means alternatives will need to be found that will in all probability require dollar transactions.

What Russia seeks is a buffer zone. What the US pursues is to deny that while regaining its control over Europe. Washington worries that the increasingly independence awareness the Europeans gained during the long tenure of Angela Merkel as the German chancellor, if unchecked, could lead to a transatlantic divorce. That's also why the Biden administration stresses a "value alliance", which is not only to contain China but also to impose a "moral" obligation on the Europeans.

To avoid the fallout from the crisis worsening, the European countries need to finally break the shackles imposed by the US overlording their security by demonstrating the courage and wisdom to guide the resolution of the crisis to the negotiation table.

BEIJING -- China opposes any act of inciting war and has taken a responsible attitude from the very beginning to persuade all parties not to escalate tensions and incite war, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.

Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily press briefing in response to queries on the Ukraine issue, noting that the United States has sent at least 1.5 billion dollars' worth of over 1,000 tons of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

"At that time, if all the parties had promoted peace talks, reviewed the historical context of the Ukraine issue, respected and accommodated each other's security concerns, and resolved the issue in a reasonable, proper way for a soft landing of the situation, what would be happening now?" Hua asked.

The culprit of the tensions should now consider how to put out the fire as soon as possible with concrete actions, instead of blaming others, she said.

BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday held a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Lavrov briefed Wang on the evolution of the situation in Ukraine and Russia's position, saying that the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have broken their commitments, continuously expanded eastward, refused to implement the new Minsk agreement and violated the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2202.

Russia was forced to take necessary measures to safeguard its own rights and interests, Lavrov added.

Noting that China has always respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, Wang said that China recognizes the complex and special historical context of the Ukraine issue and understands Russia's legitimate security concerns.

China maintains that the Cold War mentality should be completely abandoned and a balanced, effective and sustainable European security mechanism should be finally established through dialogue and negotiation, Wang said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday Kyiv decides to sever diplomatic relations with Moscow after Russia launched military operations in Donbass, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported.

"Ukraine is defending itself," Zelensky said in a televised address. He added that more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers and around 10 civilians were killed in the conflict.

Earlier Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized the "special military operation," and Ukraine confirmed that military installations across the country were under attack.

UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Wednesday night asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring troops back to Russia shortly after Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine.

"I must say, President Putin: In the name of humanity bring your troops back to Russia. In the name of humanity do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century," the top UN official told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York after the Security Council emergency meeting on Ukraine concluded.

At a moment when the world is emerging from COVID-19 and so many developing countries absolutely need to have space for the recovery, it would be "very, very difficult, with the high prices of oil, with the end of exports of wheat from Ukraine, and with the rising interest rates caused by instability in international markets", Guterres said.

Noting it is "the saddest moment" in his tenure as the UN chief, Guterres called on Putin to stop the conflicts and "give peace a chance".