Vladimir Putin has ordered a military operation in Ukraine.

He also warned of severe

consequences for any country that tries to intervene. ABC news is reporting blasts and
sirens can be heard in Ukraine's capital city of Kiev tonight, but the exact nature of those
blasts that's still unclear at this point but ABC's Alice Barr has the latest now. Tonight
Russian president Vladimir Putin ordering a military operation in Eastern Ukraine
explosions heard in Kiev - Ukraine's capital city. New Satellite images showing Russian
equipment and a field hospital close to the Ukraine border. Ukraine's president imposing a
national state of emergency tonight and appealing directly to the Russian people in a bid to
avoid war. For the second time this week the united nations security council holding an
emergency meeting after the Kremlin said Russian-backed separatists in Eastern Ukraine
had appealed for military help, in what could be a pretext, for a broader invasion. ABC
news correspondent, Richard Engel, witnessing firsthand the attacks coming into Ukraine
from separatist regions where Russian president Vladimir Putin already deployed troops.
The Biden administration leveling new sanctions against the Russian company behind a
lucrative natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The Germany announced yesterday
it was halting, that's on top of sanctions president Biden already laid out against two large
Russian banks and elites. Amid bipartisan calls foe tougher measures vice president Kamala
Harris defending the response. If Russia goes further, we will impose more costs. Despite
global pressure president Putin moving ahead tonight declaring Russia's security interests
unconditional.
That was ABC's Alice Barr reporting and late tonight president Biden released a statement
saying in part the prayers of the entire world are with the people of Ukraine tonight as
they suffer an unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces. The statement
goes on to say the world will hold Russia accountable, and we just learned president
Biden's expected to address the situation in Ukraine tomorrow.  Joining us now is Mitchell
Ornstein a professor of Russian and Eastern European studies at Penn. Thank you for being
with us this evening. Yeah, you're very welcome. What is your view of the scope of what
we are witnessing tonight? Well, it's a little hard to say because a lot of the reports are not
yet fully verified or confirmed but it appears that Russia has launched a bombing campaign
not just in Eastern Ukraine but throughout the entire country. Hitting the capital city of
Kiev, and also Odessa black seaport and also the city of Kharkiv. So, it looks like this is really
the worst case scenario, where Russia has launched an all-out attack on Ukraine with an
intent to or signaling an intent to really capture the entire country. And what do you make
in the broader view of Putin's threats to anyone who responds to try to help Ukraine at this
point? Well, I think once you take it seriously, I think that the United States will and it's
European Union allies and the UK will impose much much harsher sanctions tomorrow
than they impose today. That will include isolating the Russian economy but I also think
that should Russia persist with a all-out land war or even bombing campaign on Ukraine
costing thousands of lives, that it will be very hard for Western allies to sit by and watch. A
lot of developments we expect and to learn more in the overnight hours professor
Ornstein, we thank you, for joining us tonight. Thank you, good night.