'Will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country': Ukrainian Prez Volodymyr Zelensky

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the government will give weapons to all Ukrainian citizens who want to defend their country against Russian aggression.

President Zelensky said, "For all those who have not yet lost their conscience in Russia, it is time to go out and protest against the war with Ukraine. We will lift sanctions on all citizens of Ukraine who are ready to defend our country as part of territorial defense with weapons in their hands."

"We will lift sanctions on all citizens of Ukraine who are ready to defend our country as part of territorial defense with weapons in hands", he added.

"We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities", the President said in a tweet.

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." 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.

World leaders decried the start of a long-anticipated invasion with far-reaching consequences, as global financial markets plunged and oil prices soared. Russia's actions could cause massive casualties, topple Ukraine's democratically elected government and upend geopolitics and Europe's post-Cold War security balance.

Governments from the US to Asia and Europe readied new sanctions after weeks of failed efforts for a diplomatic solution - but global powers have said they will not intervene militarily to defend Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cut diplomatic ties with Moscow and declared martial law, saying Russia has targeted Ukraine's military infrastructure.