February: The invasion starts
Russia invades on 24 February, an afternoon etched within the thoughts of each and every Ukrainian.
Fierce preventing erupts in northern Ukraine as tens of 1000’s of Russian troops attempt to take the Ukrainian capital and decapitate the rustic. Wagner mercenaries are reportedly redeployed from Africa to assassinate the Ukrainian president.
A defiant Zelenskyy movies himself strolling during the streets of Kyiv, turning in a transparent and compelling message: “I am here. We will not lay down any weapons.”
The transfer by means of the previous comedian-turned-politician immediately turns into a PR masterstroke, rallying odd Ukrainians and the sector in the back of him.
The EU throws open its doorways to loads of 1000’s of refugees pouring out of Ukraine, with neighbouring nations like Poland, Hungary and Romania closely praised for his or her generosity.
Some criticise the double requirements proven by means of the bloc in opposition to Ukrainians in comparison to the ones escaping violence within the Middle East or North Africa.
The United Nations overwhelmingly condemns Russia’s aggression and the West slaps sanctions on Moscow.
March: Horror in Bucha
Shockwaves from the Russian invasion reverberate around the globe.
Food and effort costs climb as consideration turns to the broader affect of the struggle. There are pointed considerations about the price of residing within the west, whilst meals safety turns into a fear throughout massive swathes of the creating global.
Russian forces come across cussed resistance round Kyiv and their advance begins to splutter and stall. Snaking convoys of tanks and army automobiles clog up roads, as army logistics and communications ruin down.
Some senior Russian commanders are killed seeking to take a look at on what is going on on the entrance.
Grizzly proof of struggle crimes emerges as Russian forces pull again from spaces round Kyiv. Hundreds of our bodies of civilians are present in mass graves in Bucha. Many have been sure and shot at shut vary, whilst others display indicators of torture and rape.
But Russia’s push to seize the Ukrainian capital has failed – for now.
Russia starts cracking down on impartial media and festering opposition to the struggle within the nation, with a number of native stations close down and get right of entry to to overseas media limited.
April: A brand new segment of struggle
A Russian missile strike hits a educate station in Kramatorsk on 8 April, killing no less than 50 civilians — together with girls and youngsters — and wounding greater than 100. Most of them have been seeking to evacuate to protection, say Ukrainian officers.
This disaster kicks off Moscow’s pivot in opposition to the east because it launches a brand new offensive to take hold of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas.
A suspected Ukrainian missile sinks the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva. It is a big blow to Moscow’s naval supremacy and army status.
Parents get started asking questions concerning the destiny in their lacking sons as government stay tight-lipped about casualties some of the send’s 500-strong workforce.
Nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s kids are actually displaced by means of struggle, says the UN.
May: NATO grows
Sweden and Finland unveil their bids to enroll in NATO, even supposing there may be political opposition from Turkey and Hungary which can proceed all 12 months.
The pair have been intently aligned with NATO for many years, however now not officially a part of the organisation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cited NATO enlargement as some of the primary causes for invading Ukraine, however it seems that the invasion has had the other impact of strengthening the western army alliance.
Russia holds its once a year Victory Day Parade on 9 May to mark the USSR’s defeat of Nazism within the Second World War.
In a unprecedented glimpse of lighter information, Ukraine wins the Eurovision music contest, although Italian police divulge the development used to be centered by means of Russian hackers.
Fighters within the Azovstal metal mill — the closing pocket of Ukrainian resistance in Mariupol — in any case hoist up the white flag. Holding out for a number of apocalyptic weeks within the sprawling Soviet commercial complicated, their dogged fight used to be watched intently by means of the sector.
June: 100 days of struggle
100 days of struggle have now handed. Tens of 1000’s lay useless, tens of millions extra are uprooted from their properties and Ukraine’s historic and cultural websites are devastated by means of preventing.
Nike leaves Russia, changing into the newest in a string of western manufacturers to go out the rustic over the struggle. Experts say those high-profile departures, along side global sanctions, are crippling the Russian economic system.
However, there are nonetheless debates about Russia’s financial resilience and whether or not sanctions are the suitable method, with some claiming they unduly impact odd Russians and play into the federal government’s anti-western rhetoric.
But Russia isn’t the one one suffering. A world meals disaster is looming, with tens of millions of tonnes of Ukrainian grain languishing in silos because the get started of the struggle.
Up to 181 million other folks in 41 nations may face acute meals lack of confidence and outright famine, UN projections display.
Ukrainian forces recapture Snake Island, a tiny islet off the coast of southern Ukraine within the Black Sea.
July: Russian advances within the east
The closing town within the jap Luhansk area falls to the grinding Russian invasion. Ukraine’s embattled forces center of attention on protecting Donetsk, the second one a part of the prized Donbas.
The Donbas, a closely industrialised area in jap Ukraine, has turn out to be the web page of the most important combat in Europe in generations.
Inflation reaches report highs within the Eurozone, with the euro and the greenback achieving parity (1 EUR = 1 USD).
Russia starts to periodically close down the Nord Stream fuel pipelines in a bid to ratchet up power on Europe. European leaders are spooked, teetering at the fringe of an power precipice forward of wintry weather.
Ukraine and Russia comply with a landmark deal permitting Ukrainian grain to be exported around the Black Sea. It is a big step forward aimed toward easing the worldwide meals disaster — one who brings a second of reprieve to tens of millions.
HIMARS missiles from america start hitting Russian ammo depots, logistics and command and keep watch over programs.
August: Gas exports to Europe prevent
Amnesty International publishes a file that accuses Ukraine of driving roughshod with civilian existence by means of striking its army in residential spaces. Kyiv acts with outrage, whilst others care for its military aren’t above scrutiny, even though the rustic is underneath assault.
Powerful explosions rock an airbase within the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula.
No facet says what they suspect is in the back of the string of blasts, which wreck a number of Russian planes and injury greater than 80 constructions. But Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov means that Russia’s “military guys” had failed to look at a “very simple” rule: “Don’t smoke in dangerous places”.
Ukraine and Russia were flirting with disaster on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant in southern Ukraine for months. But now UN leader Antonio Guterres says the pair will have to prevent their “suicidal attacks” at the nuclear plant, pronouncing either side will have to finish preventing there.
A suspected automotive bomb is going off in Moscow killing TV commentator Daria Dugina, although observers assume her father Aleksandr Dugin – dubbed ‘Putin’s mind’ – will have been the supposed goal.
All fuel exports to Europe are halted on 31 August, with Russia’s state-owned power massive Gazprom bringing up upkeep paintings at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. Prices surge instantly.
September: Mobilisation
Ukraine launches a speedy counter-offensive within the northeastern Kharkiv area, sending Russian devices into retreat.
Zelenskyy raises the Ukrainian flag within the war-scarred town of Izium on 10 September. Occupied by means of Russia for 6 months, this can be a large strategic win for Kyiv.
Putin proclaims a “partial mobilisation” of 300,000 troops to struggle in Ukraine, triggering a mass flight of Russians escaping conscription into neighbouring Georgia and Kazakhstan.
The US claims “hundreds of thousands” of Ukrainian voters are being forcibly deported to Russia in a “series of horrors”.
Almost 1,200 protestors are arrested in towns throughout Russia after the call-up, because the authority’s vice-like grip on anti-war dissent tightens. Many of those demonstrations are in spaces populated by means of Russia’s ethnic minorities, who declare they’re disproportionately centered by means of the draft.
Russia formally annexes Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia on 30 September. In a transfer branded unlawful underneath global regulation, Putin says the annexed areas will probably be a part of Russia “forever”.
October: Sabotage
A big explosion tears via a bridge linking Russia and Crimea, which serves as a big provide direction for Moscow’s forces preventing in Ukraine. It occurs in the future after Putin’s birthday.
Kyiv does now not take duty for the blast, although Russia issues to “Ukrainian terror”. Russia’s status within the area is dealt a stinging blow.
Russia starts bombing Ukraine’s power infrastructure, knocking out energy and heating forward of wintry weather. Military analysts inform Euronews it is a “strategy of escalation” supposed to “break the national morale”.
The struggle in Ukraine and emerging inflation plunge an extra 4 million kids into poverty, in step with an October file by means of UNICEF. A big percentage of them — 2.8 million — are Russian.
November: Kherson liberated
Ukrainian troops pour into Kherson on 11 November.
The southern port town, as soon as house to 250,000 other folks, used to be some of the first to fall to Russian forces, throughout the early days of the struggle. There are jubilant scenes throughout Ukraine, although officers warn of an unfolding humanitarian crisis within the bombed-out ruins.
Poland is placed on excessive alert after a blast close to the Ukrainian border kills two. It seems the fatal explosion used to be brought about by means of a Ukrainian air defence missile.
Inflation in Europe eases however it’s nonetheless in painful double digits, hitting 10% in November. Russia is hoping surging shopper costs and new waves of Ukrainian refugees will erode European leaders’ unravel.
NATO guarantees to confess Ukraine into the western alliance, although there are substantial doubts over when Kyiv will probably be allowed to enroll in.
December: Grim warnings for spring
Zelenskyy heads to america — his first state consult with outdoor the rustic because the get started of the struggle.
Saying that Ukraine will “never be alone”, US President Joe Biden guarantees to ship Patriot air defence programs to lend a hand Ukraine stave off Russian assaults on its power infrastructure.
The US were reluctant to provide this long-range weapon to Ukraine over fears of inflaming tensions with Russia. Moscow warns Washington over sending extra guns to Kyiv.
Ukrainian government elevate fears that Russia would possibly attempt to take Kyiv once more within the New Year, after its abortive offensive in the beginning of the struggle.
On Christmas Day, Putin claims Russia is “ready to negotiate” with Ukraine – a requirement dominated out by means of leaders in Ukraine. The Russian president publicly makes use of the phrase “war” to seek advice from his nation’s invasion for the primary time.
January 2023: Tanks, tanks, tanks
Amid mounting political power, Germany in any case is of the same opinion to provide Ukraine with Leopard 2 combat tanks, paving the way in which for america and different NATO allies to apply go well with.
Some hailed the transfer as a vital spice up to Kyiv’s struggle effort -– which might permit contemporary offensives -– although others puzzled if the collection of tanks used to be sufficient and whether or not Ukraine would be capable to use them successfully at the battlefield.
Russia slammed it as a “blatant provocation”.
Almost as quickly because the tank deliveries were given the fairway mild, Kyiv started soliciting for fighter jets -– one thing Scholz flatly dominated out.
After months of gritty preventing, Ukraine admits taking flight from the jap the town of Soledar, reversing Russia’s army fortunes.
Moscow has portrayed the struggle as key to seizing the strategic the town of Bakhmut and the prized Donbas area. But the significance of the salt-mining the town is debated.
Russia and Belarus start joint drills, sparking fears that Moscow may use its best friend to release a contemporary flooring offensive in spring.
