Ukraine breaks off diplomatic relations with Russia

Ukraine made a decision to break off diplomatic ties with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a briefing Thursday.

"We have severed diplomatic relations with Russia," TASS quoted him as saying.

On February 22, Zelensky stated that he received a request from Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on severance diplomatic ties with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Thursday morning that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation.

Zelensky introduced martial law across the country.