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Russia–Ukraine: origins, war since 2014 and timeline
This dossier traces the Russia–Ukraine war from the seizure of Crimea and the start of fighting in the Donbas in 2014, through the full-scale invasion of 24 February 2022 and its military, diplomatic, economic and humanitarian consequences. It distinguishes recognised sovereignty, claimed annexations and actual military control.
Earlier milestones explain relations between the two states since Ukrainian independence in 1991: the 1994 Budapest security assurances, the 1997 friendship treaty, the 2003 Tuzla crisis, gas disputes and the 2010 Kharkiv agreements. The suspension of preparations for the European Union agreement in November 2013 opens the Euromaidan crisis. These antecedents are distinguished from the war that began in 2014; each entry links to its sources.
The timeline follows Ilovaisk, Donetsk airport, Debaltseve, the Minsk agreements, disengagement attempts, fighting and the humanitarian crisis in Avdiivka in 2017, the trade blockade, detainee exchanges and the Kerch maritime crisis. It then documents the war’s expansion, Ukrainian territorial recaptures, Bakhmut, international justice, grain, energy, external assistance and negotiations. Retrospective investigations are identified and claims remain attributed.
This selection of turning points includes canonical occurrences from the archived energy dossier. It expands previously sparse years without providing an exhaustive daily record: local fighting, successive sanctions, all weapons deliveries and population displacement are not detailed. Cumulative military losses and complete territorial control remain coverage limitations.
Last updated : 80 key moments
Kstovo industrial area, 29 August 2007. Archive image; it does not show the attack. Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, unchanged. — Vmenkov / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ — 29 août 2007, sans modification.
Where things stand
On 31 October 2026, residents evacuated from Russian-occupied Oleshky reached Kyiv-controlled territory after travelling through Russia and Belarus. The exact number arriving has not been published. The truce remains local. Washington has authorised a potential sale of 500 Patriot interceptors, with no evidence of delivery; the proposed €45 billion in EU loans for 2027 remains subject to adoption.
Reported information
Black Sea ship attacks: Sofia seeks help, with responsibility still unproven
On 14 October 2026, Bulgaria requested international help to investigate attacks on Black Sea merchant vessels, according to the Associated Press. Sofia suspects Russia but acknowledges it cannot prove responsibility.
The Kyiv Independent reports that all fifteen crew members of Chelsea 3, a Maltese-flagged ship owned by a Ukrainian company, were evacuated after the 13 October attack. Five received medical assistance, according to Bulgaria’s prime minister.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha thanked Bulgarian rescuers and blamed Russia in a statement carried by Nova. That Ukrainian attribution does not remove Sofia’s stated reservation.
AP also reports a request for NATO support to improve surveillance and responses to drones. This is not an announcement that a deployment has already taken place.
UN launches a $2.3 billion humanitarian appeal for 2026
On 13 January 2026, the UN and partners present a $2.3 billion plan to assist 4.1 million of the most vulnerable people in Ukraine.
The plan estimates that 10.8 million people in the country will require humanitarian assistance during the year. Frontline areas and northern border regions face the greatest needs, according to the UN.
The requested amount is not funding already received. The 4.1 million people targeted are distinct from the total population estimated to need assistance.
Trump–Putin Alaska summit ends without a ceasefire deal
On 15 August 2025, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska without announcing an agreement to end fighting in Ukraine, according to Reuters and Axios.
Their joint press conference follows several hours of talks. Trump describes the discussions as constructive but acknowledges that a deal has not been reached.
The summit is a diplomatic milestone; it does not establish Kyiv’s acceptance of peace terms. A halt to military operations cannot be inferred from the meeting alone.
Ukraine strikes Russian air bases in Operation Spider’s Web
On 1 June 2025, Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, claims a drone operation against Russian air bases hosting strategic bombers, reaching as far as the Irkutsk region.
Contemporary accounts describe drones concealed and transported close to their targets. Russian authorities acknowledge attacks on bases, while Ukraine claims extensive damage.
The attacks and the claims are documented, but the total number of aircraft destroyed or repairable cannot be confirmed from the initial announcements.
Istanbul talks produce an agreement to exchange detainees
On 16 May 2025, the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks since 2022 produce an agreement to exchange one thousand prisoners on each side, without a ceasefire agreement.
Delegations meet in Istanbul with Türkiye hosting. Officials announce plans to continue contacts, but their positions on the conditions for a truce remain far apart.
This entry dates the exchange agreement, not the release of everyone announced. Actual transfers must be documented separately when they occur.
In Jeddah, Kyiv accepts a truce proposal conditional on Russia
On 11 March 2025, Ukraine expresses readiness to accept a US proposal for a temporary thirty-day ceasefire, subject to Russia accepting and implementing it simultaneously.
The joint statement after the Jeddah meeting also announces the lifting of the US pause on intelligence sharing and security assistance.
This is a conditional proposal and announced commitments, not evidence that a general ceasefire has entered into force. The text also distinguishes humanitarian discussions, including prisoners and transferred children.
Russian gas transit through Ukraine stops as contract expires
On 1 January 2025, Russian gas transit to Europe through Ukraine’s network stops after the agreement reached before the full-scale invasion expires at the end of 2024.
Ukraine does not renew the arrangement, which had allowed some flows to continue despite the war. The halt ends this transit route and its associated revenue.
It does not mean all Russian energy supplies to Europe disappear: other routes and liquefied natural gas are separate channels.
NATO announces North Korean units’ deployment to Kursk
On 28 October 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says North Korean troops have been sent to Russia and units deployed in Kursk region.
The statement follows a South Korean delegation’s briefing to the North Atlantic Council. It marks a further stage in foreign involvement alongside Moscow.
This entry establishes what NATO announces on that date. The statement alone does not establish a precise force size, every unit’s combat participation or a casualty toll.
Ukraine’s army launches an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region
On 6 August 2024, Ukrainian forces cross the border and launch an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, according to Reuters and Le Monde reports published in the following days.
The fighting takes the ground war onto Russian territory beyond isolated raids. Initial accounts describe clashes around Sudzha and responses by Russian authorities.
The date marks the operation’s beginning. Claimed areas and subsequent territorial control require separate verification; they cannot be inferred from the incursion itself.
Russia launches an offensive in northern Kharkiv region
On 10 May 2024, Russian forces launch a ground attack across the border in the north of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, opening a new area of fighting.
Initial operations affect several border directions. Ukrainian authorities commit reinforcements and organise evacuations as the fighting develops.
Opening this front does not mean capturing the city of Kharkiv. Initial advances must be distinguished from territorial control established over the following days.
US House passes a $61 billion package supporting Ukraine
On 20 April 2024, the US House of Representatives passes a package of about $61 billion related to support for Ukraine after months of congressional deadlock.
Funding includes military assistance and replenishment of US stocks. The amount therefore does not represent an immediate transfer of the entire sum to Ukraine’s government.
The House vote is a legislative step: Senate passage and the president’s signature are still required. Actual deliveries are a subsequent stage.
