Putin launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Putin launches full-scale invasion of Ukraine

Vladimir Putin has begun a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine and demanded Kyiv's army lay down its weapons, starting what could be the largest conflict in Europe since the second world war. With bombardments of artillery, heavy equipment and small arms, Russian troops launched attacks from Ukraine's northern border with Belarus, across its eastern frontier with Russia, and in the south from Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula Russia invaded and annexed in 2014. Major global powers have further condemned the actions of Russia, vowing to take ‘decisive action'. Markets have reacted to the most serious threat of a World War since WW2, with equity indexes such as the FTSE and CAC 40 falling as much as 2.5%. The Russian MOEX index fell as much as 50% and safe haven assets such as Gold and Silver have risen sharply, with Brent crude surging past one hundred dollars a barrel.