RT News - February 24 2022 (17:00 MSK)

The video from our film crew on the frontline shows what's happening right now as the heavy shelling continues. Our correspondents are in the Donbass republics. That's after Vladimir Putin has ordered a special operation, saying the aim is to defend the people of the Donbass, from genocide by the Ukrainian military - comments that fly in stark contract to those of his western partners and Putin has stressed that Russia has no plans to occupy its neighbor. The Russian defense ministry says direct fighting with Ukraine's soldiers has largely been avoided and that safe exit routes are being arranged, those forces to leave the zone of operations. The Kremlin has issued an order to treat Ukrainian soldiers with respect. Kiev cuts diplomatic relations with Russia - and urges the West to build an anti-Putin coalition while the US and its allies slam the Kremlin's operation as a barbaric attack, and vow the harshest of sanctions.