The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, completes a year on Friday. This one year has seen images of horror, love and loss, separation and resistance pouring out of Ukraine. Images that will haunt us, make us smile and cry. Here’s a retelling of the Ukraine-Russia war through a series of images.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announces his decision to launch a “special military operation” in Ukraine in a speech on February 24. Russia starts a three-pronged, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Missiles rain on Ukraine cities. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the nation and declares martial law.
Russia’s plans of a short war meet iron-willed Ukrainians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turns down US offer to evacuate, saying: “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride”. The Ukrainian government bars men between 18 and 60 from leaving the country, to use them in the war. Ukrainians destroy bridges, remove street signs to throw Russians off track.
Families are torn apart with no hope that they will ever reunite as the great rush to exit war-hit parts of Ukraine starts. According to UNHCR’s latest data, over 8 million people have moved out of Ukraine to several European nations. About 7 million people were internally displaced by May last year.
With rockets whistling past and constant air raids, Indian students send out SOS messages. The Indian government starts the process of rescuing students stuck in Ukraine on February 22. As part of ‘Operation Ganga’, India operates 80 flights and evacuates 18,000 students by March 10.
March starts with Russia advancing on key Ukrainian centres. A 65-km-long Russian military convoy moves towards Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on March 1. Russia claims control of the Ukrainian city of Kherson on March 2. Russian forces also wrest control of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions
The main prize of the war for Russia, Ukraine’s capital Kyiv, remains elusive. Facing geurilla warfare from Ukrainians and manpower shortage, the Russian army soon gets stuck near Kyiv. Russian convoys become easy prey for Ukrainian artillery and drones. On March 25, Russia gives up its Kyiv dream, says will shift focus to Donbas in the east.