Russo-Ukrainian War: Days after recognising Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, Russian president Vladimir Putin orders a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Russo-Ukrainian War

Ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine

The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then supported Russian paramilitaries who began a war in the eastern Donbas region against Ukraine's military. In 2018,…

Address concerning the events in Ukraine

February 2022 speech by Vladimir Putin

"Address concerning the events in Ukraine" was a televised address by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 21 February 2022, announcing that the Russian government would recognise the Ukrainian separatist regions of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic…

Donetsk People's Republic

Disputed Russian republic in eastern Ukraine

The Donetsk People's Republic is occupied territory in Ukraine that the Russian Federation has claimed to annex and declared as a republic of Russia, comprising parts of eastern Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, with its capital in Donetsk.

Luhansk People's Republic

Disputed Republic of Russia

The Luhansk People's Republic is a disputed territory administered as a republic of Russia in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine's Luhansk Oblast, with its capital in Luhansk. The LPR was proclaimed by Russian-backed paramilitaries in 2014, and it initially operated as a…

International recognition of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic

From April 2014 until September 2022, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) claimed to be independent states. Their sovereignty was recognized by South Ossetian authorities in 2014, Russia and Abkhazian authorities in February 2022, Syria in…

Vladimir Putin

President of Russia (1999–2008; since 2012)

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012.

On conducting a special military operation

2022 speech by Russian president Vladimir Putin

"On conducting a special military operation" was a televised broadcast by Russian president Vladimir Putin on 24 February 2022, announcing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thousands of military casualties and tens of…

Ukraine

Country in Eastern Europe

Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the north; Poland and Slovakia to the west; Hungary, Romania and Moldova to the southwest; and the Black…

February 24

Day of the year

February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 310 days remain until the end of the year.