Russia attacks Ukraine

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen has witnessed what he describes as "a lot of very ominous movement" on the ground in Russia, near northeast Ukraine.

"The Russian military really [is] in a position where it certainly seems as though they could strike at any point in time," he added.

Meanwhile, further south, near Donetsk, Pleitgen noted other examples of assembled Russian military.

"You see a lot of Russian convoys there that seem to be forming," he said. "[It is] unclear whether or not they've gone over the border yet, the way that all of this could happen is, you might have two areas where the Russians might try to go across the border."

Pleitgen closed his live report by offering a statement on the general atmosphere in the region.

"You really feel how things are getting more tense here by the minute," noted Pleitgen, adding, "you certainly also see that the Russian military is on the ground here, and certainly at least seems to be in a position to be able to strike at any point in time if Vladimir Putin chooses to order that."

Russia has issued a notice banning civil aircraft from flight routes bordering north-eastern Ukraine.

Russia issued a NOTAM (notice to airmen or notice to air missions) that covers a corridor of territory where Russian forces have gathered over the past weeks.

The NOTAM remains in force until May 18.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country has no need for war but added that if attacked, his nation will defend itself.

“But if we are attacked militarily, if they try to take away our freedom, our lives, our children’s’ lives, we will defend ourselves,” the Ukrainian president added, in a speech in Russian, aimed at Russian citizens. “When you attack, you will see our faces and not our spines, our faces."

Zelensky called war a “terrible misfortune.” He said he was ready to continue diplomatic talks with Russia and argued that Ukraine does not pose a threat to Russia. 

“They say that Ukraine may pose a threat to Russia. This wasn’t a case in the past, nor is it now, and won’t be in the future,” he said. "Our main goal is to maintain peace in Ukraine and keep Ukrainian citizens safe. For this we are prepared to hold discussions with everyone, including you [Russia], in whatever format you like at whatever venue."

“Russian TV will surely not show this video, but the Russian people must watch it. The truth must be known. And that truth is that this all needs to stop now, before it's too late,” Zelensky said.

“If the leadership of Russia does not want to sit at the table with us to make peace, perhaps it will sit at the table with you. Does Russia want a war? I would very much like an answer to this question. But that answer depends only on you, citizens of the Russian Federation," he said.

Watch part of President Zelensky's speech:

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday night related to Russia at the request of Ukraine.

The meeting, which is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET, is expected to be open, though CNN is working on further details.

 Read the tweet:

Russia is “putting the final touches” on having forces in places for a “full-on invasion,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday, and said the US has “certainly seen the presence of Russian forces inside of Ukraine.” 

Blinken did not elaborate on the Russian forces he said they have seen inside Ukraine.

Blinken pushed back on the notion that a Russian invasion into Ukraine would be a failure of US diplomacy during an interview with the CBS Evening News. 

“Diplomacy succeeded very effectively in bringing the world together, the United States and Europe together in standing up to Russian aggression,” Blinken said

He also held out hope that the threat of further costs could still prevent President Putin from going forth with a full-scale invasion.

“We've made it clear that if Russia continues to escalate, if it engages in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, beyond what it's already doing, we will escalate to and I hope that that knowledge may still act as a deterrent,” Blinken said.

He warned of the long-term costs to Putin if the invasion happens.

“It doesn't deter Putin from further aggression to Ukraine,” he said, referring to joint action by the US and its allies, “there will be a very swift and severe response. This is a price that Vladimir Putin and Russia will pay for a long, long time.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the trigger for a Russian invasion can happen “any minute,” during an address posted on his official Facebook account early Thursday local time.

“Ukraine in your news and Ukraine in reality are two different countries. Their main difference between them is that ours is real," Zelensky added.

Zelensky went on to reject accusations that Ukrainians were neo-Nazis and hated Russian culture.

“You are being told we are Nazis. How can a nation that gave 8 million lives to combat Nazism support it? How can I be a Nazi? Tell my grandpa about that,” Zelensky said. “He was, through the whole war, in the infantry of the Soviet Army and died as a colonel in independent Ukraine."

“You are being told we hate the Russian culture? How can someone hate culture? Any culture? Neighbors always enrich one another culturally, but that does not make them one, does not dissolve us in you,” the Ukrainian president went on to say. “We are different. But it is not a reason to be enemies."

Zelensky concluded: “We want to determine our history by ourselves. In peace, calm and honesty."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian leadership has approved a military incursion into Ukraine, according to an address posted to his official Facebook account in early hours Thursday local time.

Zelensky added: “Your leadership approved for them to take a step further, to the territory of another country."

The Ukraine president concluded, “This step can become a beginning of a great war at the European continent."

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) says its mission in eastern Ukraine was threatened and harassed on Wednesday by militia of the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic.

The OSCE said its team of monitors "was approached by two armed members of the armed formations," some 6 miles from the line of contact which divides separatist and Ukrainian forces as it was about to launch a surveillance drone (UAV).

"Armed formations" is the term the OSCE uses to describe the separatist militia in Donetsk and Luhansk.

"The patrol members also saw a third individual, wearing a uniform with a Russian Federation flag patch on his shoulder," the OSCE said.

At a second location, "patrol members saw a green Lada approaching at speed with two armed members of the armed formations who were shouting at the patrol and threatening to destroy the UAV."

At a third location, one of the separatists "loaded his rifle. Another forcibly took the UAV’s control panel."

The UAV was lost, the OSCE said.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky says he tried to call Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday but was unsuccessful, he said in an address posted on his official Facebook account in the early hours of Thursday local time.

“Today I initiated a telephone conversation with the President of the Russian Federation. Silence. Although there should be silence in the Donbas,” Zelensky said.