Russia Just Launched A 'Full-Scale Invasion' Of Ukraine & Hinted At Its Nuclear Weapons

Russia has launched an attack on Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said a "special military operation" would take place in Ukraine early Thursday, although Ukraine's foreign minister had a different term for it, calling it a "full-scale invasion."

Putin also issued a warning to foreign countries that would interfere, hinting at Russia's nuclear arsenal, the Associated Press reports.

"Whoever would try to stop us and further create threats to our country, to our people, should know that Russia's response will be immediate and lead you to such consequences that you have never faced in your history," Putin said in launching the attack.

Russia's stockpile of nuclear weapons is estimated to be the largest in the world.

"No one should have any doubts that a direct attack on our country will lead to the destruction and horrible consequences for any potential aggressor," Putin said. Per AP, he also specified that Russia is "one of the most potent nuclear powers and also has a certain edge in a range of state-of-the-art weapons.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law in response to the invasion and condemned Russia for the move.

"Russia has embarked on a path of evil," he said. "But Ukraine is defending itself and won't give up its freedom."

Explosions were reported throughout Ukraine on Thursday, including in the capital city of Kyiv.

The invasion is Russia's most aggressive action since the former Soviet Union moved into Afghanistan in 1979, and may be the biggest military operation in Europe since the Second World War.

Russia had previously repeatedly denied that it was planning to invade.

The country had amassed about 190,000 troops near the Ukraine border and warned Ukraine against joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

One of the reasons NATO was created after World War II was to hinder the expansion of the Soviet Union.

The invasion comes after Putin ordered troops into two pro-Russian breakaway states in Ukraine, proclaimed after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

The Russian president said he's not moving in to occupy Ukraine. Instead, he's going to "strive for demilitarization and denazification" of the country.

Ukraine has a population of some 44 million people, and while it was once part of the Soviet Union, it expressed its will to join the European Union in 2019.

No other countries have pledged to defend Ukraine as of Thursday morning.