On 23th February 2022 Russia announced the start of a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. The said goal was to ‘demilitarise’ the territory. 

The Russia-Ukraine war has roots in 2014. In 2014, Russia annexed the territory of Crimea following the ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president. In a controversial referendum widely condemned by the international community, Russia claimed that the majority of Crimeans voted to join the Russian Federation. This marked a significant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and sparked the beginning of armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists began fighting Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region. While these fights continued for years, the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in 2022 represented a massive escalation, aiming to destabilize the Ukrainian government and gain control over much of the country.

The invasion led to widespread destruction across Ukraine, with cities suffering devastating bombings and missile strikes. Civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, and residential areas, was targeted or caught in fire, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread suffering. The conflict also triggered accusations of war crimes, including the targeting of civilian populations and the use of torture. Ukraine’s military mounted significant resistance.

Intense frontline fighting is still ongoing within the areas concerned, drone and missile warfare has escalated, arms support persists. Peace talk negotiations are ongoing but stalled, international mediation shows mixed progress and a prolongation of the conflict is expected by experts.

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