Six months ago this week, Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of Russian troops into Ukraine on a “special military operation” – a mass invasion on a scale unseen in Europe since the Second World War.
Since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed, millions have fled and cities have been reduced to rubble by Russia’s relentless bombardment.
Here are some milestones from the conflict:
Russia repeatedly denied it would invade Ukraine and once it did, said it sought to “disarm” Kyiv, purge it of “nationalists” and halt the expansion of NATO, not seize territory.
But Ukrainians say an address by Russian President Vladimir Putin three days before the Feb. 24 invasion left no doubt he aimed to conquer their country and wipe out their 1,000-year national identity.
Russia-Ukraine conflict: ‘Full-scale invasion’ underway as Putin orders military operation – Feb 24, 2022
“Ukraine is not just a neighboring country for us. It is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space,” Putin said. “Since time immemorial, the people living in the southwest of what has historically been Russian land have called themselves Russians and Orthodox Christians.”
Within hours of the invasion, Russia landed commandos at Antonov airfield, a cargo base just north of Kyiv, to secure an air bridge for a lightning assault on the capital.
A launch truck fires the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) at its intended target during the African Lion military exercise in Grier Labouihi complex, southern Morocco, on June 9, 2021.
Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP
It can now target bridges, railways, command posts and ammunition dumps deep inside Russian-held territory and hopes this will shift the course of the war in its favor.
Ukraine’s supporters on the internet post daily pictures of explosions in Russian-held territory with the catch-phrase “HIMARS O’Clock.” Russia says its operation is going to plan.
© 2022 Reuters
