Ukraine government asks for cash donations to fund military defence to Putin invasion

Ukraine has set up a crowdfunding website to pay for "logistical and medical support" of its armed forces to deal with a "full-scale" invasion from Russia.

Residents in Kyiv were awoken by air raid sirens in the early hours of this morning, as Vladimir Putin launched an armed assault on Ukraine after weeks of stationing troops along the border.

In what has been described as Europe's "darkest day" since the Second World War, Russian soldiers have reportedly breached Ukrainian borders in four regions across the nation.

Ukraine has been increasing its military budget since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

In 2020 the nation boosted its defence budget to $6billion - 4% of its GDP.

Read more: The faces of Putin's war: Bloodied Ukrainians pictured as Russian airstrikes claim first casualties

The request for funds from both Ukrainian citizens and abroad was posted on Ukraine's official twitter feed in the hours after Putin's forces began their attack.

The website says: "Please donate the funds for logistical and medical support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in UAH to the bank account of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

Adding: "Due to numerous requests from individuals and legal entities who are not residents of Ukraine and wish to make donations (in foreign currency) for the logistics and medical support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has set up a designated bank account."

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said any Ukrainian who wants weapons will be supplied with them.

"We will give weapons to anyone who wants to defend the country. Be ready to support Ukraine in the squares of our cities," he said.

He also urged people to come forward to donate blood for soldiers who have already been wounded.

Zelenskyy added: “Anyone who has military experience, who can join the defence of Ukraine, has to come to the military offices of the ministry of internal affairs... please, keep yourself updated on the information. We have wounded soldiers that require blood donations, please join and donate blood.”

So far more than 40 Ukrainian soldiers are reported to have been killed.

Ukraine itself has claimed to have destroyed four Russian tanks on a road near the eastern city of Kharkiv, killed 50 troops near a town in Luhansk region and downed a sixth Russian aircraft, also in the country's east.

Russia has denied these reports.

Putin's forces have reportedly hit over 70 locations in Ukraine as they embark on a brutal shelling campaign.

Read more: Ukrainians flee Kyiv under air raid sirens as Russia launches 'full-scale invasion'

In eastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region, a boy was killed after shelling struck an apartment building, emergency services said on Thursday.

Putin announced his military action during a televised address early on Thursday morning, saying the move was a response to threats from Ukraine. Western leaders have ridiculed any suggestion Ukraine is a threat.

Russia’s military said it had targeted Ukrainian air bases and other military assets and had not targeted populated areas.

In a chilling threat, Putin said Moscow's response would be "instant" if anyone tried to target Russia as a result of their actions.

Read more: What Ukraine invasion means for consumer prices in the UK

He said Russia does not have a goal to occupy Ukraine, but the responsibility for bloodshed lies with the Ukrainian “regime”.

The international community has responded with fury at what has unfolded, with Boris Johnson vowing that Britain “cannot and will not just look away”.

He pledged with allies to respond with a massive package of sanctions designed to “hobble the Russian economy”.

In a televised statement on Thursday, the UK prime minister said the world could not stand by and allow the freedom of Ukraine to be “snuffed out” as Moscow hit its neighbour with a wide-ranging attack, hitting cities and bases with airstrikes or shelling.