Overview of the War in Ukraine

James Yi

“I have made the decision to carry out a special military operation.” - Vladimir Putin.

The Russo-Ukrainian War has been in progress for years now–longer than most people even know of. Here is an overview of what has happened and why.

Russia incorporated Ukraine into its territories late 18th century. Ukraine regained its independence after the Russian Revolutions--the February Revolution and Bolshevik Revolution--of 1917. After the establishment of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR), Ukraine was annexed under its rule alongside many other territories. In 1991, the USSR dissolved into independent republics, Ukraine being one of them.

Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the USSR’s rival during the Cold War, continuously expanded after 1991 until only a few countries remained between it and Russia. One of those was Ukraine, whose borders were in contact with both Russia and the NATO countries Slovakia, Romania, and Hungary .

In Feb. 2014, the Revolution of Dignity, also known as the Ukrainian Revolution, occurred. Ukraine’s pro-Russian president was voted out after months of anti-government protest. The event marked a decrease in Putin’s political influence in Ukraine and an increasing likelihood that Ukraine would become a part of NATO.

Within the same month, Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula of Ukraine. In Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukrainian separatists supported by Russia declared independence from Ukraine. Ukraine began a long-lasting conflict with the separatist regions in what is now termed the Russo-Ukrainian War.

Russian troops began gathering on and conducting military drills by the Ukrainian borders Nov. 2021. Putin followed that December by demanding a prohibition against Ukraine joining NATO. Ukraine declined. Finally, Feb. 2022, Putin declared support for the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk and entered troops into the regions. Ukraine responded with a state of emergency. Hours later, a full-scale invasion began on Ukraine.

NATO put troops on standby and increased the defenses around Ukraine. Ukraine received military aid from countries including the EU and USA, and Russia was charged with heavy economic sanctions. President Joe Biden had ordered a ban on imported oil, gas, and coal from Russia to the US March 2022.

Russia invaded from the northern front of Belarus, southern front of Crimea, and southeastern front of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ukrainian resistance drove back the northern forces by April 2023. From August to November, Ukrainian counteroffensives reclaimed part of the south and northeast. A relative stalemate lasted from then until June 2023, when Ukraine declared another counteroffensive. The estimated casualties of the war so far exceed 500,000, including 10,000 civilian deaths. Currently Russia holds a section of land stretching from southeastern to eastern Ukraine.

Throughout the course of the war, the US has committed over $47 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, providing training and equipment. Continued security funding for Ukraine is in question after the stopgap bills of Sep. 2023, Nov. 2023, and Jan. 2024 passed without such a provision. The most recent stopgap bill will prevent a government shutdown until early March. It is an unknown question whether a budget will be passed before then and whether it will resume support for Ukraine.