Europe has been shaken, as President Putin execute his strategy Ukraine; Putin said the military operation was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine. Putin accused the US and its allies of ignoring Russia’s demands to block Ukraine from ever joining NATO and offer Moscow security guarantees.

Putin said Russia does not intend to occupy Ukraine but will “demilitarize” it. Soon after his address, explosions were heard in the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa.

Russia said it was attacking military targets. Ukraine’s border guard agency said the Russian military has attacked from neighboring Belarus, unleashing a barrage of artillery. The agency said Ukrainian border guards fired back. 

Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard responding to the Ukraine –Russia saga said the conflict could have possibly been avoided if Russian concerns about Ukraine joining NATO had been previously addressed.

Putin said, Ukraine’s membership in NATO poses a direct threat to Russia’s security, that’s what Putin is most concerned about. Russia says it wants Western guarantees that NATO won’t allow Ukraine and other former Soviet countries to join as members and Putin said Monday that a simple moratorium on Ukraine’s accession wouldn’t be enough.

Moscow has also demanded the alliance halt weapons deployments to Ukraine and roll back its forces from Eastern Europe.

Putin warned Monday that the Western rejection of Moscow’s demands gives Russia the right to take other steps to protect its security. Explosions could be heard in Kyiv not long after Putin’s pronouncement at 5:45 a.m. Moscow time.