18 people killed in Odessa in missile attack, says Ukraine; Russian cargo ships hit by Ukrainian missiles

Meanwhile, Ukraine said some of its military command centres have been hit by Russian missile strikes as Moscow launched a military operation against its neighbour.  

Russian forces on Thursday fired missiles at several Ukrainian cities and landed troops on its south coast after President Vladimir Putin authorised what he called a special military operation in the east.

At least 18 people were killed in the Ukrainian city of Odessa in a missile attack on Thursday. At least six people were killed in Ukraine's town of Brovary, located near the capital of Kyiv, authorities from the town said.

Black smoke was also seen rising over the Ukrainian defence ministry intelligence headquarters in central Kyiv, a Reuters correspondent reported.

Ukraine said some of its military command centres have been hit by Russian missile strikes as Moscow launched a military operation against its neighbour. Adviser to Ukraine President Office says more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers dead and several dozen wounded, reported Reuters.

Meanwhile, two Russian civilian cargo ships were hit on Thursday by Ukrainian missile strikes in the Azov Sea, Russia's TASS news agency reported on Thursday citing the federal security service, adding that casualties have been reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he ordered a special military operation to “protect” the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, citing the need to “demilitarize” the country and accusing the US of crossing Russia’s “red line” by expanding NATO.

Putin said Russia doesn’t plan to occupy Ukraine, while urging soldiers there to put down their arms. His actions were condemned by US President Joe Biden, who called it an “unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces” on the people of Ukraine, and by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who said it was a “serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security.”

Meanwhile, Lithuania has declared an emergency after Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday. Lithuania's president declared a state of emergency over Russia’s attack on Ukraine.