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Battle for Kyiv: Ukraine retakes Antonov airport in bloody battle against elite Russian units

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered compulsory enlistment and banned all men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country

The Ukrainian government has claimed that its forces have retaken Antonov airport on the outskirts of Kyiv that was earlier seized by Russian airborne troops. This comes as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered compulsory enlistment and banned all men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country. Sources in the Ukraine's Armed Forces believe that over 60 Russian battalion tactical groups are now deployed in Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy also claimed that he was 'target number one' for Russian assassins. He said at least 137 Ukrainians are dead.

Ukraine's National Guard tweeted a photo from Antonov airport of three young soldiers holding up a bullet-ridden Ukrainian flag. They captioned the photo: 'Guardsmen with their flag, torn to pieces after today's battle.'Congratulations to all of you and say that we will win!'

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine in an attempt to 'defend separatists in the east of the country'. "I have made the decision of a military operation to protect the people of the Donbas separatist region," he said in a television statement. The President urged Ukrainian soldiers to lay their arms down and head home.

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Putin announced the military operation on Thursday, February 24, with explosions heard across Ukraine soon after. Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations told the Security Council that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “declared war on Ukraine".

Soon after the announcement, explosions were heard in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, as well as across other cities and towns. There were reportedly air raid sirens in the center of Kyiv. Although the severity of Thursday's attacks was not immediately clear, Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the worst-case scenario has unfolded. "Putin has just launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Peaceful Ukrainian cities are under strikes," Kuleba tweeted. "This is a war of aggression. Ukraine will defend itself and will win. The world can and must stop Putin. The time to act is now."

US officials have said they expect Ukraine's capital to fall by the end of the weekend. General George Joulwan, who commanded NATO during the Yugoslave war, said he expects Kiev to fall within 24-36 hours.

In a separate tweet, he wrote, "To Ukrainians around the globe: Putin attacked, but no one is running away. Army, diplomats, everyone is working. Ukraine fights. Ukraine will defend itself. Ukraine will win. Share the truth about Putin’s invasion in your countries and call on governments to act immediately.

Putin's move came after Zelenskyy appealed to Russians not to support a "major war in Europe". He also said that people of Russia were being lied to about Ukraine, adding that when he tried to contact Putin, there was "no answer, only silence". He confirmed on Wednesday, February 23, that Moscow had around 200,000 soldiers near Ukraine's borders.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the US, said that a Russian invasion will have the power to displace as many as five million people, which could lead to a new European refugee crisis. Ukraine urged all its citizens living in Russia to leave before Putin's announcement came. "We are united in believing that the future of European security is being decided right now, here in our home, in Ukraine," President Zelenskyy said during a joint media appearance with the visiting leaders of Poland and Lithuania. While Ukraine has around 2,00,000 military personnel, Moscow's total forces are much larger.