One Year

The Story

It’s been one year since Russia invaded Ukraine.

How’d we get here?

On Feb 24 last year, after months of growing tensions, Russia sent tens of thousands of troops across the border to Ukraine — and shocked the world. As atrocities mounted, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of genocide. The Kremlin, for its part, said its goal was to “demilitarize” Ukraine. Much of the world wasn’t convinced, with President Biden saying Russia’s goal was to “reestablish the former Soviet Union.” Now, there’s still no end in sight to the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II. Here's the latest…

Ukraine…about 100,000 troops have been killed or injured in combat. An estimated 30,000 civilians have died. More than 13 million Ukrainians — about a third of the country’s population — have sought refuge out of the country or been displaced within Ukraine. The war’s caused widespread damage to countless communities. On top of that, Russia has raised safety concerns at nuclear power plants in Ukraine, which prompted some fears of a Chernobyl-like disaster.

Russia…An estimated 200,000 troops have been killed or wounded. Reports show that at least 500,000 people have fled Russia. Some fled to neighboring countries following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s draft-like order. Others left as sanctions shut out Russia from things like banking and access to foreign assets. 

The rest of the world…NATO members have maintained military and financial support for Ukraine amid pleas from Zelenskyy — but they didn’t let Ukraine join NATO, due to fears of Russia escalating ‘into World War III.’ The US has contributed nearly $80 billion in humanitarian, financial, and weapons aid. However, Russia isn’t entirely alone. China’s trade with the Kremlin has hit record levels, helping Putin bankroll military expenses — though it’s now calling for a ceasefire. Then, there’s Belarus, which has served as a staging ground for Russian troops.

What’s next in the war?

In recent days, Ukrainian officials sounded the alarm Russia would launch a major new offensive around the invasion anniversary — though some experts were skeptical the tides could turn in Russia’s favor. Meanwhile, there’s still concern Putin could consider the use of nuclear weapons. Especially after he suspended a major nuclear arms deal. All the while, President Biden has vowed to defend Ukraine “as long as it takes” and was in Europe earlier this week reaffirming that stance. But some House Republicans are demanding greater oversight of US spending in the war. It comes as one poll found declining American support for some of the US’s efforts in Ukraine.