As the anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches, Ukraine has criticised the US from excluding them in discussions with Russia about ending the conflict.
The war in Ukraine has been widely talked about over the past few years – but when exactly did it start?
Conflict initially began in February 2014 when Russian troops covertly invaded and took control of the Ukrainian autonomous republic of Crimea and subsequently seized territory in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine.
But Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine took place on February 24, 2022 – almost exactly three years ago.
As of December 2024, there have been over 12,000 civilian deaths in Ukraine, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights (UNHCHR).
Prior to the invasion in 2022, more than 14,000 people were killed due to the initial conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
More than 200,000 Ukrainians have come to the UK under the Homes For Ukraine scheme since the start of the invasion, and it’s estimated that more than 10.6 million Ukrainians – almost a quarter of its pre-war population – are currently displaced, according to the UNHCHR.
The anniversary comes as US President Trump recently called Ukrainian President Zelensky a ‘dictator’ and accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia.
The UK has repeatedly expressed its stance in support of Ukraine, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer returning from Paris this week after speaking with European leaders about the issue.
The Labour Party leader is also set to travel to the US next week to speak with Trump about what can be done to negotiate a deal between Ukraine and Russia.
