Explosions heard in major Ukrainian cities following Putin’s announcement

Reporters heard sounds of explosions in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military operation in Ukraine. 

Early Thursday morning local time, Putin claimed that the operation was protecting eastern Ukraine from what he said was a “regime.”

According to The Associated Press, explosions were heard in Kyiv, the northeastern city of Kharkiv and other parts of Ukraine as the Russian president was speaking.

Russia has amassed up to 190,000 troops on Ukraine’s border, and the U.S. and allies have warned that a military incursion against Ukraine was imminent. 

The Biden administration has warned that major cities in Ukraine could be targeted for an attack, including the capital of Kyiv, a city of 2.8 million people.

Following Putin’s announcement, CNN’s Matthew Chance reported hearing what he described as a “big bang” behind him.

“I just heard a big bang right here behind me,” Chance said during a live broadcast of CNN’s “Don Lemon Tonight.”

“There are big explosions taking place in Kyiv right now, I can’t see where they’re taking place from this vantage point here on top of the roof of the hotel in central Kyiv,” he continued.

Chance said the sounds were “quite distant” from where he was standing.

Separately, during a broadcast of CBS News Special Report, CBS international correspondent Charlie D’Agata reported hearing “five loud explosions,” and then stopped his update for what he said was a fighter jet flying overhead.

D’Agata then said there were three explosions to begin with, followed by two more.

Another CBS correspondent Holly Williams also reported hearing explosions shortly past 5 a.m. local time in Kharkiv, just 20 miles near the Russian border.

The Washington Post reported that explosions could be heard in Kyiv, as well as the northeastern city of Kharkiv. A senior Ukrainian official also told the Post that there were explosions at Kyiv’s Boryspil airport.