The Russian president Vladimir Putin has been in a position of political power for over 20 years – and his popularity amongst the Russian population has steadily grown over the past two decades.
Browsing: Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, marking a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014 following the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity.
The invasion triggered Europe’s largest refugee crisis since WW2, with millions leaving the country and millions more displaced.
Russia invades Ukraine 2022
In 2014, at the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, Russia annexed Crimea and Russian-backed separatists seized part of the south-eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, sparking a regional war there.
In 2022, Russia began a large military build-up along its Ukrainian border – over 190,000 armed troops. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had continued to deny Russia was planning an invasion until shortly before the invasion.
In a broadcast shortly before the invasion, Putin espoused irredentist views, questioned Ukraine’s right to statehood and falsely claimed the country was being governed by neo-Nazis. Putin also claimed NATO constitutes a threat to Russia’s national security by expanding eastward since the early 2000s, which NATO disputed. Russia demanded NATO cease expansion and bar Ukraine from ever joining. The UK, USA and allies all accused Russia of planning to attack or invade Ukraine, Russian officials and state media continued to deny it up until 23 February 2022.
The invasion began on 24 February – Putin announced it was a “special military operation” to “demilitarise and denazify” Ukraine. Russia then started missiles and airstrikes across Ukraine as well as a large ground invasion from multiple directions.
The invasion has been widely condemned by the international community.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine hasn’t gone entirely to plan as the Russians underestimated the Ukrainian people’s will to fight for their country.
The Independent says Russia has passed a new law meaning citizens who spread what it described as “fake” information about the military can be jailed for up to 15 years.
The Metro says A Russian Foreign Intelligence chief has claimed that the country no longer sees its ‘war’ with the West as cold – and instead branded the situation ‘hot’.
The Independent says Western ministers will hold crisis talks as Vladimir Putin steps up his assault on Ukraine’s cities.
The Guardian says access to BBC websites has been restricted in Russia, hours after the corporation brought back its shortwave radio service in Ukraine.
Euronews says a fire which broke out after an overnight attack by Russian forces on a Ukrainian power plant has been extinguished.
Aljazeera says Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to sit down for direct talks.
BBC Sport says Six months ago Yuriy Vernydub was celebrating, his team had just produced one of the great Champions League shocks, beating Real Madrid 2-1.
The Metro says More than one million people have been forced to leave their homes behind since war began in Ukraine.
The Independent says At least 6,500 people have been arrested in Russia during protests against the Ukrainian invasion, it’s claimed.
The Independent says German authorities have seized a massive yacht belonging to billionaire Alisher Usmanov at a shipyard in Hungary.
Arab News says the United States raised the alarm Wednesday over the “staggering” human cost of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
TRT World says India’s opposition has stepped up pressure on the government to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian military offers safe exit to residents of Kyiv Russian military offers safe exit to residents of Kyiv. The Air raid alerts in Kyiv are…
The Metro says Ukraine has said its armed forces have ‘eliminated’ an elite Chechen hit squad sent to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Metro says the Ukrainian government has accused Russia of perpetrating a ‘genocide’ after reporting a hospital had been damaged in a missile strike.
The Metro says Russia says its soldiers have captured the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on day seven of its invasion.
The Guardian says an MP has claimed that the Russian oligarch and Chelsea football club owner, Roman Abramovich, is hastily selling UK properties to avoid potential financial sanctions.
The Guardian says China has signalled its willingness to play a mediator role in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine as the war entered its sixth day.
Sky News says Russia has told people in Kyiv to leave their homes ahead of strikes on key targets – as Moscow’s advance on the capital “stalled”.
Euronews says more than 6,000 arrests in Russia during protests over Ukraine war – protests show little sign of abating despite crackdown.
The Guardian says Airbnb has said it will offer free, temporary housing for up to 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, joining a swathe of companies offering support and donations following the Russian invasion.
The Metro says Russia will soon be under investigation for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine, the International Criminal Court has confirmed.
The Metro says The President of Belarus has said the international sanctions against Russia are ‘pushing the world to the brink of World War Three’.
The Guardian says TV station RT could lose its licence to broadcast in the UK after media regulator Ofcom launched 15 separate investigations into its news coverage of the war in Ukraine.
