Russo-Ukrainian War
The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing conflict between Russia (together with pro-Russian rebel groups) and Ukraine. It started in February 2014, after the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity, and originally centred on the status of Crimea and sections of the Donbas, which are internationally recognised as being part of Ukraine. The Russian annexation of Crimea (2014) and the war in Donbas (2014–present) between Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels, as well as naval incidents, cyberwarfare, and political tensions, characterised the first eight years of the conflict. Following a Russian military buildup on the Russia–Ukraine border that began in late 2021, the war grew considerably when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
In August 2014, unmarked Russian military vehicles crossed the border into the Donetsk region. An undeclared battle broke out between Ukrainian forces on one side and rebels mixed with Russian soldiers on the other, despite the fact that Russia sought to keep its role hidden. The battle had deteriorated into a static struggle, with several unsuccessful efforts at a truce. The Minsk II accords were signed by both Russia and Ukraine in 2015, but they have yet to be completely implemented due to a number of disagreements. By 2019, the Ukrainian government had categorised 7 percent of the country's territory as temporarily occupied regions, and the Russian government had implicitly recognised the presence of its forces in Ukraine.
In 2021 and early 2022, there was a significant Russian military buildup around Ukraine's frontiers. NATO accused Russia of plotting an invasion, which Russia categorically refuted. Russian President Vladimir Putin described NATO's expansion as a danger to his nation and urged that Ukraine be prohibited from ever joining the armed alliance. He also espoused Russian irredentist sentiments, questioned Ukraine's right to exist, and incorrectly said that Ukraine was formed by Soviet Russia. On February 21, 2022, Russia formally recognised the two self-proclaimed separatist governments in the Donbas and sent soldiers into the region. Russia attacked Ukraine three days later. A large portion of the international world has criticised Russia for its activities in post-revolutionary Ukraine, accusing it of breaching international law and infringing on Ukrainian sovereignty. Many nations imposed economic sanctions against Russia, Russian people, and Russian corporations, particularly after the 2022 invasion.