As Russian forces moved further into Ukraine on Thursday, members of United States Congress from both West Virginia and Ohio decried the day’s events.

Russian armed forces entered its western neighbor in the early hours of Thursday morning, attacking from three sides. Many residents awakened to the sounds of missiles and bombs and the rumbling of military vehicles.

During a visit to New Martinsville on Thursday, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., made remarks regarding the invasion that has left Ukrainians scrambling for safety and defending themselves against the Russian attack.

Capito said her “heart sank” when she learned of the invasion. She believes NATO and its allies should instead be taking the lead in helping to defend Ukraine. She said the U.S. “just got out of Afghanistan” and should not be sending troops to help.

“We don’t need to send troops there,” she said, adding that the U.S. can help in other ways such as with weapons.

McKinley said the U.S. should try to hit Russia with cyber warfare by, for example, shutting down access to its banking systems and even its electrical grid.

“We’ve seen Putin do it to Ukraine years ago,” he said.

McKinley believes Russia’s President Putin became emboldened to invade Ukraine after President Joe Biden took office. He believes if Donald Trump were still president, it would not have occurred.

“We don’t want to put boots on the ground,” he said. “We can shut down their missile defense system.”

President Biden in an address Thursday said the U.S. would be imposing bank and export-related sanctions against Russia. He also said 7,000 more U.S. troops are being sent to Germany to help NATO.

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., released a statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine Thursday. Manchin called for harsh sanctions against Russia.

“Russia’s invasion is a blatant act of war against Ukraine. This is an unacceptable attack and puts our allies in the region at risk,” Manchin said. “Protecting the rights and stability of self-determining nations around the world is a long-held American priority and cannot be forgotten … The United States will not tolerate this reprehensible behavior, and there will and must be consequences. Vladimir Putin has shown us who he is and we cannot try to appease him or sacrifice our national security and that of our allies.”

Speaking by phone Thursday, Manchin — a member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee — said he had long been concerned about the geopolitical turmoil such an invasion could cause.

“That geopolitical unrest we were concerned about and that we needed to take care of is now in full-fledged war on Ukraine which could spread all over Europe and pull us unto it because we’re trying to honor and stand beside our NATO allies that we’ll defend and support,” Manchin said.

Manchin said the Ukraine turmoil should be a sign to Biden and Congress that the U.S. needs to support domestic production of oil and natural gas as Europe becomes less dependent on Russian natural gas and more dependent on U.S. liquefied natural gas exports.

Third District Congresswoman Carol Miller, R-W.Va., also condemned the invasion.

“Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is a reckless act of aggression,” McKinley said on Twitter. “We stand with the innocent people of Ukraine, urging their resolve and strength against this evil. The U.S. and our allies must meet Russia’s deliberate acts of war with serious consequences and harsh sanctions that deter other rogue nations from following suit.”

Second District Congressman Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., took a slightly different position, signing onto a letter along with 42 members of the House of Representatives to President Biden Tuesday asking him to seek approval from Congress before stationing U.S. armed forces in the Ukraine. There are no plans to do this, though Biden has sent additional forces to NATO allies bordering Ukraine.

“As you evaluate your possible course of action … we write to reassert the war powers vested in Congress under the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973,” the letter stated. “… If the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine … we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nation’s laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such deployment.”

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, called for Biden to “lead the world in the strongest sanctions possible,” and added that there were other ways to condemn Russia for its actions.

“It is unacceptable that Russia currently chairs the United Nations Security Council, at the same time it is in flagrant violation of the UN Charter,” he said in a statement. “It is a travesty that Russia presided over the Council’s meeting, where their ambassador supported this illegal assault. The administration should work with others to remove Russia from the Security Council.

“Congress must also support increased defense spending to enhance our readiness and must provide more military assistance to our NATO Allies in Eastern Europe.”

U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, laid the blame of the Russian invasion at the feet of one person: Putin.

“I call on President Biden and his team, working with our allies across the globe, to impose immediate, tougher — as harsh as possible ­– sanctions and export controls to create more of an effective deterrent on Putin’s tyranny,” he said in a statement. “What has been tried thus far clearly did not work.

“There are millions of innocent civilians who don’t want conflict,” he added. “There are no winners in war, only horrific death and catastrophic destruction. We pray that the Ukrainian people will muster the courage and strength they need in this dark time.”