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Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, unleashing airstrikes on cities and military bases and sending in troops and tanks from three sides in an attack that could rewrite the global post-Cold War security order, Associated Press reported.

Ukraine’s government pleaded for help as civilians piled into trains and cars to flee.

Scores of Ukrainians, civilians and service members alike, were killed in the first full day of fighting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ignored global condemnation and cascading new sanctions as he unleashed the largest ground war in Europe since World War II and chillingly referred to his country’s nuclear arsenal. He threatened any country trying to interfere with “consequences you have never seen,” as a once-hoped for diplomatic resolution now appeared impossible.

Ukrainian forces braced for more attacks after enduring a Russian barrage of land- and sea-based missiles, an attack that one senior U.S. defense official described as the first salvo in a likely multi-phase invasion aimed at seizing key population centers, “decapitating” Ukraine’s government and installing a new one. Already, Ukraine officials said they had lost control of the decommissioned Chernobyl nuclear power plant, scene of the world’s worst nuclear disaster.

“Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself and won’t give up its freedom,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted. His grasp on power increasingly tenuous, he pleaded Thursday for even more severe sanctions than the ones imposed by Western allies and ordered a full military mobilization that would last 90 days.

Zelenskyy said in a video address that 137 “heroes,” including 10 military officers, had been killed and 316 people wounded. The dead included all border guards on the Zmiinyi Island in the Odesa region, which was taken over by Russians.

He concluded an emotional speech by saying that “the fate of the country depends fully on our army, security forces, all of our defenders.” He also said the country had heard from Moscow that ”they want to talk about Ukraine’s neutral status.”

U.S. President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia, saying Putin “chose this war” and that his country would bear the consequences. Other nations also announced sanctions, or said they would shortly.

Fearing a Russian attack on the capital city, thousands of people went deep underground as night fell, jamming Kyiv’s subway stations.

Russian military forces have seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Ukrainian officials say, BBC reported.

Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said the "totally pointless attack" on Thursday amounted to "one of the most serious threats in Europe today".

An explosion at Chernobyl in 1986 led to the worst nuclear disaster in human history, both in cost and casualty.

Ukraine's president warned such a disaster could happen again if Russia continued its invasion.

"Our defenders are giving their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote earlier on Twitter.

"This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe."

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also warned of the possibility of "another ecological disaster" at the site.

Chernobyl's "exclusion zone" - a 32 km (19 mile) radius around the plant - remains largely devoid of life 36 years after a faulty reactor caused a major explosion at the plant.

The plant's three other reactors were all shut down by 2000 and it has since been decommissioned.

Radiation levels in the area remain dangerously high since the 1986 leak, chronicled in an eponymous HBO mini-series in 2019 that helped make the site a tourist attraction.

Russian troops reportedly entered the exclusion zone earlier on Thursday before crossing over into Ukraine.

The White House says it has received reports that staff are being held hostage at the site by Russian soldiers.

The forces are part of Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation" in their neighbouring country.

Chernobyl is located about 130 km (80 miles) north of the capital Kyiv and could provide a path into the city for the invading forces.

Chinese Communist Party Foreign Department Deputy Chief Chen Zhou held a virtual meeting with CPN (Unified Socialist) Madhav Nepal on Thursday and expressed concern over the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

During the meeting, he said that China is ready to invest in the development project that Nepali people wanted independently.

Similarly, Chairman Nepal said that Nepal is committed to one-China policy and will not allow anti-China activities in Nepal.

Earlier on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying made the remarks responding to the controversy over a US deadline to Nepal to pass the MCC compact through parliament by February 28.

“How could a ‘gift’ be sent by an ultimatum? How could people accept such a ‘gift’?” said Hua on Wednesday at a press conference in Beijing. “Is it a ‘gift’ or a Pandora's box? Is it afraid that just as the old Nepali saying goes, it looks delicious, but it's actually a meat tough to chew.

 

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba urged the main opposition CPN-UML to take part in the discussions on the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

PM Deuba made such a request during a meeting held with UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli at the Parliament building on Thursday afternoon, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa said.

The Prime Minister urged UML Chairman Oli to take part in the discussions by lifting the House obstruction saying the MCC is a matter of international concern and should be resolved without any further delay, he said.

“MCC is not just an issue of arithmetic. This is also an issue of international concern. This should be resolved at any cost. We all parties are ready to hold discussions. The government also wants the UML to participate in the discussions by lifting the House obstruction,” Thapa said as PM Deuba saying.

It has been learnt that PM Deuba and Oli will meet again in Baluwatar at 7 pm today.