Erdogan, Zelenskyy discuss Russia's attack on Ukraine

By Ahmet Sertan Usul

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday after Russia launched a military intervention against its eastern neighbor.

Erdogan and Zelenskyy discussed the latest developments, the Turkish Communications Directorate said in a statement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a military intervention in Ukraine early Thursday, just days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine, drawing widespread international condemnation and announcements of tougher sanctions on Moscow.

The intervention followed a month-long buildup of some 100,000 troops around Ukraine, with Russia repeatedly denying any intent to launch an invasion.

There were also reports on Thursday of explosions in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, and several military vehicles reportedly crossed the border from Belarus into Ukraine.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar​​​​​​​