The war in Ukraine is an ongoing international conflict between Russia and Ukraine that started in 2014. According to the latest news reports, the situation is very tense and violent, as Russia has launched a major assault on the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, which is a stronghold of the Ukrainian army. The attack is said to have resulted in serious losses for both sides, and has been condemned by the international community12
The war began after a popular uprising in Ukraine ousted the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Russia then annexed Crimea, a peninsula in the Black Sea that belonged to Ukraine, after a disputed referendum. Russia also supported pro-Russian separatists who declared independence in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, known as the Donbas. The Donbas war has been raging for more than eight years, with periodic ceasefires and negotiations failing to bring a lasting peace3
The war has caused thousands of deaths, millions of displacements, and severe humanitarian and economic crises in Ukraine. It has also sparked a geopolitical confrontation between Russia and the West, with sanctions, diplomatic expulsions, cyberattacks, and military exercises. In February 2022, Russia escalated the conflict by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, breaking through the defensive lines and occupying more territory. The invasion has been met with strong resistance from the Ukrainian army and volunteers, as well as increased support from NATO and other allies. The war is still ongoing, with no clear end in sight3
