US college professor currently in Ukraine describes Russian invasion

NOW, IN THE CAPITAL - KYIV - AS RUSSIA INVADES THE COUNTRY! (TAKE UKRAINE/RUSSIA VO) EARLY THIS MORNING, RUSA SILAUNCHED IT'S ANTICIPATED ATTACK ON UKRAINE! (nat/s pop UkraineKyivAirRaidSirens - ABC) AIR RAID SIRENS RINGING OUT IN CITIE S! (TAKE AM UKRAINE LATEST-VO) UKRANNS IA SHARING IMAGES SHOWING EXPLOSIONS SEEN FOR MILE S! IN KYIV RIGHT NOW, TIMOFIY MYLOVANOV WHO'S FROM UKRAINE áAND AN ECONOMICS PROFESSOR AT PITT! (TAKE PI X) HE SHARED THESE PICTURES FROM HIS NEIGHBHOOD. OR YOU CAN SEE X XX ABOUT 7 MES AWAY - A UKRANIAN MLITARY BASE! ((BUTTED)) (TAKE UKRAINE/RUIASS VO) DESPITE A L OOT WHAT WE'VE SEEN, MYLOV AN SAYS THERE'S A STATE OF ORDER! (TAKE UKRAINE/RUSSIA VO) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN SAID YESTERDAY THIS ATTACK WAS NEEDED TO OTECT PR CIVILIANS IN EASTERN UKRAINE - A CLAIM THE U-S HAD PREDICTED HE WOULD FALSELY MAKE TO JUSTIFY THE INVASION. (TAKE CUTAWA Y) WHILE MYLOVANOV DOES NOT BELIEVE UKRAI NE WILL FALL, HE DOES THI THIS COULD HAVE A MI DO EFFECT FOR OTHER EUROPN EA COUNTRIE S! THE U-S AND OTH ER COUNTRIES HAVE PLACED SANCTIONS ON RUSSI A. THAT PROFESSOR WE SPOKE TO SAID UKRANIA

Early Thursday morning, Russia launched its anticipated attack on Ukraine. Air raid sirens rang out in cities, while Ukrainians shared images that show explosions seen for miles. "It's hard to believe what's happening here," Tymofiy Mylovanov said. "I just didn't think it would happen really, frankly."Mylovanov is in Ukraine's capital Kyiv right now. He is from Ukraine and an economics professor at the University of Pittsburgh. "We woke up this morning to the sounds of explosions," he said. "What is happening is really a crime against people, against humanity."He sent Pittsburgh sister station WTAE pictures of what his neighborhood looked like on Thursday. They showed long lines of people and grocery stores stocked with items. He said there is a Ukrainian military base very close to where he is staying. "We've heard a lot of Ukrainian Air Force flying over and some explosions," he said. "It goes on and then it goes off."Despite a lot of what we've seen, Mylovanov said there is a state of order. "We just bought food, groceries in the store," he said. "There are some lines at the gas stations but the banks are working, you know, the government is functioning."Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that this attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine, which is a claim the United States predicted he would falsely make to justify the invasion.While Mylovnov does not believe Ukraine will fall, he does think this could have a domino effect for other European countries."I think people need to realize that this is real," he said. "It's not some kind of conflict within separatists and some people somewhere in a not very well-known country. It's really about what's going to happen in Europe in the next 20 to 50 years."

Early Thursday morning, Russia launched its anticipated attack on Ukraine.

Air raid sirens rang out in cities, while Ukrainians shared images that show explosions seen for miles.

"It's hard to believe what's happening here," Tymofiy Mylovanov said. "I just didn't think it would happen really, frankly."

Mylovanov is in Ukraine's capital Kyiv right now. He is from Ukraine and an economics professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

"We woke up this morning to the sounds of explosions," he said. "What is happening is really a crime against people, against humanity."

He sent Pittsburgh sister station WTAE pictures of what his neighborhood looked like on Thursday. They showed long lines of people and grocery stores stocked with items.

He said there is a Ukrainian military base very close to where he is staying.

"We've heard a lot of Ukrainian Air Force flying over and some explosions," he said. "It goes on and then it goes off."

Despite a lot of what we've seen, Mylovanov said there is a state of order.

"We just bought food, groceries in the store," he said. "There are some lines at the gas stations but the banks are working, you know, the government is functioning."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that this attack was needed to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine, which is a claim the United States predicted he would falsely make to justify the invasion.

While Mylovnov does not believe Ukraine will fall, he does think this could have a domino effect for other European countries.

"I think people need to realize that this is real," he said. "It's not some kind of conflict within separatists and some people somewhere in a not very well-known country. It's really about what's going to happen in Europe in the next 20 to 50 years."

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