Ukraine President Urges Russian Citizens to Oppose War as Invasion Warnings Mount

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukraine shifted to a war footing, declaring a state of unexpected emergency, starting to mobilize reservists and calling on its citizens to depart Russia immediately in the midst of warnings of an imminent whole-scale invasion.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said he tried to connect with Russian President Vladimir Putin but was not able to discuss to him. Rather, the Ukrainian leader unveiled a video tackle in Russian in which he urged Russian citizens to oppose the war, which he explained would guide to the fatalities of tens of hundreds. He said that Ukraine posed no risk to Russia.