Russia's decision to launch a large military operation in Ukraine early Feb. 24, hitting targets across the country, including the capital Kyiv, will see Western countries impose significant sanctions on Russia, but their direct military involvement is unlikely. In a TV speech announcing the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the plan is not to "occupy" Ukraine but to "demilitarize" the country, which he described as a threat to Russia. While Putin described the operation as necessary to defend the separatist republics in Donbas , one of Russia's main goals seems to be to oust the Ukrainian government, which he described as a "regime." Russia's initial actions involved missile, artillery and air attacks in coordinated moves launched from areas including Crimea in the south, Belarus in the north, and the Ukrainian separatist republics in the east, which targeted Ukrainian military infrastructure and border positions.