Ukraine says about 40 killed so far in attack

Kyiv, Feb 24: An adviser to Ukraine’s president says about 40 people have been killed so far in the Russian attack on the country.

Oleksii Arestovich, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that several dozen people have been wounded.

He didn’t specify whether the casualties included civilians
Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian authorities will hand weapons to all those willing to defend the country.

The future of the Ukrainian people depends on every Ukrainian, he said, urging all those who can defend the country to come to the Interior Ministry’s assembly facilities.
Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey has called on the NATO member country to close its airspace and to shut down the straits at the entrance of the Black Sea to Russian ships.

We are calling for the airspace, Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to be closed, Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar told reporters on Thursday. We have conveyed our relevant demand to the Turkish side. At the same time, we want sanctions imposed on the Russian side.
A 1936 convention gives Turkey control over the straits connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, and allows it to limit the passage of warships during wartime or if Turkey is threatened.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened an emergency security meeting to discuss the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Turkey, which enjoys close relations with both Ukraine and Russia, had been pressing for a diplomatic solution to the tensions. (PTI)