KIEV, February 24. /TASS/. Ukraine made a decision to sever diplomatic ties with Russia, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said at a briefing Thursday.

"We have severed diplomatic relations with Russia," he said.

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

On Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he made a decision to begin a special military operation in response to the republics’ request. The Russian leader underscored that Moscow does not plan to occupy Ukrainian territories.

Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Russian military does not target Ukrainian cities, underscoring that only military infrastructure is being neutralized with precision strikes. Ukrainian civilians are not in danger, the Ministry said.