Russia launches military operation in Ukraine... US stock index futures plunge

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] As Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, U.S. stock index futures plummeted on the 23rd (local time).

According to economic media CNBC and others, as of 10:47 PM Eastern Time, Dow Jones futures were trading at 32,391.00, down 675 points (2.04%) from the previous close. S&P 500 futures were at 4,137.50, down 84.50 points (2.00%), and Nasdaq futures were at 13,183.75, down 323.75 points (2.40%).

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin officially announced the launch of a special military operation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Immediately after, U.S. media outlets including CNN and NBC News reported hearing explosions in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the action in a statement, saying, "Russia is responsible for the loss of life and destruction this invasion will cause," and added, "The United States, along with its allies and partners, will respond in unity."

Meanwhile, on the regular trading session of the New York Stock Exchange that day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 33,131.76, down 464.85 points (1.38%) from the previous trading day. The large-cap focused S&P 500 closed at 4,225.50, down 79.26 points (1.84%), and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index ended at 13,037.49, down 344.03 points (2.57%).