MOSCOW - Russia closed its airspace to civilian aircraft on Thursday on its western borders with Ukraine and Belarus, the Russian aviation authorities announced, shortly after President Vladimir Putin authorized a "special military operation" in the Donbass region.

"Our plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories. We are not going to impose anything on anyone by force," said Putin.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian Armed Forces are destroying "military infrastructure, air defense facilities, military airfields, aviation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" with high-precision weapons, not targeting Ukrainian cities.