What does Putin want in Ukraine? The conflict explained
A whirlwind of diplomatic efforts to stave off a Russian invasion in recent weeks failed to defuse tensions that had mounted over months.
Russia had been tightening its military grip around Ukraine since last year, amassing tens of thousands of soldiers, as well as equipment and artillery, on the country's doorstep.
The escalation in the years-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine has triggered the greatest security crisis in Europe since the Cold War. Russia's attacks on several parts of Ukraine raise the specter of a dangerous showdown between Western powers and Moscow.
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| What does Putin want in Ukraine? The conflict explained |
So how did we get here? The picture on the ground is shifting rapidly, but here's a breakdown of what we know.
Several areas across Ukraine came under attack on Thursday morning after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the start of a "special military operation" and warned of bloodshed unless Ukrainian forces lay down their arms.
The move came after months of speculation about what Moscow's intentions were with the troops it had massed on the Ukrainian border. More than 150,000 Russian troops encircled the country on three sides, like a sickle, according to estimates from US and Ukrainian intelligence officials.
Some of those forces began pouring across the border, crossing into Ukraine from the north in Belarus and to the south from Crimea, according to the Ukrainian State Border Service. Elsewhere, explosions rang out in multiple cities, including the capital Kyiv.
By Eliza Mackintosh
Let us pray for the Russia-Ukraine situation. It ripples across the globe!
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