By Morgan Kikke
March 14, 2022
In recent weeks, tensions surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been the subject of every news story and political conversation. However, as students - some with little to no background knowledge on the conflict - it can be difficult to stay informed. Here is a short timeline of recent events as of March 4th along with some information you need to know:
November 2021: As many as 92,000 Russian troops began moving towards Ukrainian borders. The United States recognized this movement of troops as “unusual activity”.
December 2021: In December, other countries decided how they would handle a possible Russian invasion. President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that sanctions and measures would be taken against Russia if they were to attack Ukraine. At the same time, Putin was trying to convince NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) to not allow Ukraine to ever join the organization, which NATO rejected.
January 2022: Other countries began to provide preemptive support to Ukraine. The United States gave Ukraine $200 million in security aid. NATO put troops on standby, who would later aid Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion. At this time, Russian troops began training for combat and the threat of invasion grew.
Early February 2022: Around the time of the 2022 Winter Olympics, fighting grew in the Ukrainian separatist (pro-Russian) regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
February 21, 2022: NATO issued its first round of economic sanctions against Russia with an aim to demoralize and harm the Russian military and government.
February 24, 2022: Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would conduct, “a special military operation in Ukraine”. This announcement was an official declaration of war. Within minutes of his announcement, multiple explosions were reported all over Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ordered a mobilization of all Ukrainian men ages 18 to 60 to serve in the military. The nuclear power plant Chernobyl was reportedly under Russian control.
February 25-27, 2022: By this time, it became increasingly clear that many Russian attacks were directed towards Ukrainian citizens. What started as an attempt to damage the structure of Ukraine fueled the determination of many Ukrainians. While taking shelter underground - in their homes, or in bomb shelters - Ukrainians have fought to defend their country through direct and indirect contact with Russian troops.
February 28, 2022: Bombings, rocket attacks, and civilian-targeted attacks continued. Representatives from Russia and Ukraine met in Belarus, but no deals were made as a result of these communications.
March 1-2, 2022: Attacks all across Ukraine continued. Russian forces advanced slower than expected, but still captured the Ukrainian cities of Berdiansk and Melitopol.
March 3rd, 2022: During a second round of talks, Russian and Ukrainian representatives agreed to open some borders for civilian evacuation.
March 4th-Present 2022: Attacks continue on Ukrainian cities as civilians continue to fight for their freedom. On March 4th, an explosive hit a Ukrainian nuclear power plant and caused a small fire. After this fire, and a short battle, Russian troops overtook the power plant.
The events unfolding in Ukraine are rapidly changing day by day. Make sure to check trusted sources for the latest updates on the conflict. Stay informed Bandits!