KIEV, February 25. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has signed a decree to begin the general mobilization in Ukraine.

The document, published by the presidential website in the early hours of Friday, orders "to declare and carry out general mobilization."

In accordance with the decree, mobilization will be carried out in Kiev and all Ukrainian regions within 90 days.

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 in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.