The conflict in Ukraine, which started 500 days ago, has resulted in the deaths of thousands, forced millions to flee their homes, reduced entire cities to rubble, and instilled fears of a potential open conflict between Russia and NATO.
Here is a timeline of key events that have defined the conflict:
February 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a "special military operation" in Ukraine from the north, east, and south.
The operation was purportedly aimed at demilitarising and denazifying the country to protect ethnic Russians, prevent Ukraine's NATO membership, and maintain Russia's sphere of influence.
However, Ukraine and the West condemned Russia's operation as an illegal act of aggression against a sovereign nation.
Russian troops swiftly advanced and reached the outskirts of Kiev, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy released a video to affirm his presence and authority.
March 2022
On March 2, Russia claimed control of the southern city of Kherson. In the initial days of March, Russian forces seized the remainder of the Kherson region and occupied a significant portion of the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region, which included Europe's largest nuclear power plant, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
On March 29, Moscow announced the withdrawal of its forces from Kiev and other areas, redirecting their focus to the Donbass region, where Russia-backed separatists had been engaged in conflict with Ukrainian forces since 2014, following the illegal annexation of Crimea.
April 2022
Following the Russian pullback from Kiev, Moscow faced accusations of committing atrocities as evidence, including footage of hundreds of civilian bodies in mass graves or left on the streets, emerged from the town of Bucha. Russia denied these accusations. Intense battles ensued for Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, and the city suffered extensive damage from Russian airstrikes and artillery bombardment. On April 13, the missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, was struck by Ukrainian missiles and sank the following day.
May 2022
On May 16, Ukrainian defenders of the Azovstal steel mill, the last remaining Ukrainian stronghold in Mariupol, agreed to surrender to Russian forces after enduring a nearly three-month siege. Mariupol's fall severed Ukraine's access to the Azov coast and established a land corridor from the Russian border to Crimea. On May 18, Finland and Sweden submitted their applications to join NATO, dealing a significant blow to Moscow regarding the expansion of the military alliance.
June 2022
More Western weapons, including US-supplied HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, were supplied to Ukraine. On June 30, Russian troops withdrew from Snake Island, situated off the Black Sea port of Odesa, which had been seized during the initial days of the offensive.
July 2022
On July 22, Russia and Ukraine, with mediation by Türkiye and the United Nations, reached an agreement to resolve the blockade of grain supplies in Ukraine's Black Sea ports. This diplomatic breakthrough marked the first step toward ending a standoff that had threatened global food security.
A Joint Coordination Center, comprising officials from the three countries and the UN, was established in Istanbul to oversee the shipments. Turkish officials reported that more than 33 million tonnes of grain had been transported to those in need since then.
August 2022
On August 9, powerful explosions targeted an airbase in Crimea. A week later, additional blasts struck a power substation and ammunition depots in the region.
Ukraine's top military officer later admitted that the attacks on Crimea were launched by Ukrainian forces.
On August 20, Darya Dugina, the daughter of Russian nationalist ideologist Alexander Dugin, was assassinated in a car bomb explosion outside Moscow, with Russian authorities blaming Ukraine for the incident.
September 2022
On September 6, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, compelling Russia to retreat from extensive territories it had held for months.
On September 21, Putin ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists. Simultaneously, "referendums" were held in Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions to determine whether they should become part of Russia, with all regions voting in favor of joining Moscow.
On September 30, Putin signed documents to officially annex the four regions in a ceremony held at the Kremlin.
October 2022
In October, Ukraine targeted the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia's mainland, using a truck loaded with explosives to blow up a section of the bridge.
In response, Russia carried out missile strikes on Ukraine's power plants and other vital infrastructure. These attacks continued regularly in the following months, resulting in blackouts and power rationing across Ukraine.
November 2022
On November 9, Russia announced its withdrawal from the city of Kherson due to a Ukrainian counteroffensive, relinquishing the only regional centre that Moscow had captured.
December 2022
In December, Ukraine employed drones to target two bases for long-range bombers deep inside Russian territory. Another strike occurred later in the month, highlighting Ukraine's willingness to escalate the conflict and exposing gaps in Russian defenses.
On December 21, Zelenskyy visited the United States, his first trip abroad since the war began, to meet with President Joe Biden. During the visit, he sought to secure Patriot air defense missile systems and other weapons, as well as address Congress.
January 2023
On January 1, shortly after the start of the New Year, a Ukrainian missile strike hit the city of Makiivka, resulting in the deaths of numerous freshly mobilised Russian soldiers.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported 89 troop fatalities, while Ukrainian officials estimated the death toll to be in the hundreds.
Following months of fierce fighting, Russia claimed to have captured the salt-mining town of Soledar on January 12, although Kiev did not acknowledge this until several days later.
Moscow continued its offensive to seize the Ukrainian stronghold of Bakhmut.
February 2023
During February, US President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Kiev, his first to Ukraine since the war began.
March 2023
In response to increased Western support for Ukraine, particularly the UK's decision to supply armor-piercing rounds, Putin issued a threat to deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.
April 2023
Intense fighting for the city of Bakhmut persisted in April, with the Russian army making slow but steady gains.
May 2023
In May, The Wagner Group, a private military organisation from Russia, claimed seized control of the eastern city of Bakhmut.
June 2023
In a significant blow to Putin's administration, the leader of the Wagner Group orchestrated an armed rebellion and issued a warning to overthrow the country's Defense Ministry.
Wagner forces advanced through the city of Rostov-on-Don, capturing critical military installations before proceeding to Voronezh.
The Russian President denounced this act as a betrayal, referring to it as a "stab in the back," and warned of severe measures against the insurgent soldiers.
Within a day of the mutiny, Wagner leader Prigozhin ceased his operation following an agreement with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, aiming to prevent violence in Russia.
He stated his intention to relocate to Belarus alongside his soldiers. Moscow also seemingly took a step back from persecuting Wagner, announcing that they would be incorporated formally into the Russian military structure
July 2023
On the 8th of July, a day prior to the 500th day since the conflict began, Zelenskyy visited Türkiye fort he first time since the war began.
During the visit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his Ukrainian counterpart that Kiev deserved to join NATO, but also urged it to enter peace talks with Moscow.
