Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, triggering the largest war in Europe since World War II. Early Russian advances on Kyiv were repelled, but fighting intensified in eastern and southern Ukraine. The discovery of civilian massacres in Bucha and the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam shocked the international community. In August 2024, Ukraine launched a surprise invasion of Russia's Kursk Oblast — the first foreign occupation of Russian territory since WWII. North Korean troops joined Russian forces in late 2024, while the US suspended military aid in early 2025 after a confrontation between Trump, Zelensky, and Vance. By early 2026, Russia had captured key cities including Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, marking the most significant territorial gains since the war's opening months.
