This weekend marks two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, upended long-held international norms and has no clear end in sight.
In more than one sense, Russia’s President Vladmir Putin has failed: Ukraine remains a sovereign nation, with Moscow in control of about one-fifth of its territory, far from his goal of toppling its government. Putin wanted to stop NATO expanding: He now faces an alliance that has added hundreds of kilometers to its border with Russia following Finland’s accession.
But as the war enters a third year, there are increasingly signs that it is turning in Russia’s favor, both on the battlefield and in terms of once-solid Western support waning.
We’ve been taking a look at some of the most significant moments of the war so far.
Two years ago, Putin made an early morning address announcing a “special military operation” against Ukraine, his still frequently used euphemism for the full-scale invasion of the country.
Putin said he wanted the “denazification” of Ukraine, one of his justifications for the invasion that analysts say distorts history.
Moments later, the first explosions were heard across Ukraine.
While there had been Western intelligence warnings of a looming Russian invasion for months prior, the announcement took many by surprise.
Putin’s announcement signaled the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has so far cost the lives of over 10,300 civilians, according to the United Nations. Military losses are harder to determine, but Russia is thought to have suffered more than 300,000 fatalities and injuries.
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