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"This is a brutal act of war." That's what NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg calls Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Stoltenberg added there is now war in Europe like no one ever expected to see again. NATO has activated special defense plans in response to the invasion allowing the secretary general to use more flexibility to use allied resources.
Panic is unfolding in Ukraine at this hour as the country fights a Russian invasion. People are rushing to banks and crowding gas stations. There's also a huge traffic jam in the capital as hundreds of families are desperate to escape amid explosions. Travel isn't any easier by air as Ukraine has shut down its air space after declaring a state of emergency and then martial law. Several neighboring countries are preparing to take in refugees.
Ukrainian government websites are getting hit by cyberattacks. Some key websites were down early today as Russian troops moved into breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine. Websites for Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers and ministries for foreign affairs, infrastructure and education were among those being attacked. It's not immediately clear who's responsible for the hacks. U.S. officials have warned that Russia would likely use cyberattacks in conjunction with military operations if it invaded Ukraine. President Biden said last month that the U.S. could respond with cyberattacks of its own.