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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
Ukraine: Russian strikes damage energy network and hit residential buildings
Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Ukrainian energy facilities overnight on 13–14 October 2026. Volodymyr Zelensky reported 600,000 people without electricity, according to Reuters and AFP.
Archive, 7 October 2026: remains of an unexploded missile in Kyiv, according to Ukraine’s emergency service. This image does not show the 14 October strikes. DSNS, CC BY 4.0. — State Emergency Service of Ukraine / dsns.gov.ua / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Archives du 7 octobre 2026 ; aucune modification.
Kyiv Independent journalists in the capital reported explosions, power outages and the temporary suspension of all three metro lines. Their reporting also documents rescue efforts at a damaged residential building.
Death tolls remain provisional: the Kyiv Independent reports five deaths in Kyiv, while AFP’s wider account mentions at least seven deaths in overnight attacks across the country. These different geographic totals must not be added together.
Reuters reports that Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed strikes against seven energy facilities. This claim does not independently verify each target or the damage it sustained.
Sberbank acknowledges attack on its Balakovo data center
On 14 October 2026, Sberbank acknowledged an attack on its data center in Balakovo, in Russia’s Saratov region, according to AFP. The bank says its systems continue to operate normally.
AFP relays a statement by bank executive Alexander Vedyakhin quoted by Russian news agency TASS. The company’s account establishes its acknowledgment of the attack without quantifying the damage.
Meduza separately reports a rise in outage reports on Sboi.rf and Downdetector: users describe difficulties with payments and access to online services. These reports are not an exhaustive measurement of interruptions.
CNews says the bank is not disclosing the scale of physical consequences. The material consulted does not establish the precise duration of disruptions or link every reported incident to this attack.
London announces faster air defense deliveries to Ukraine
In London on 14 October 2026, Andy Burnham announced faster deliveries of British air defense equipment to Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian presidency. He was hosting Volodymyr Zelensky at Downing Street.
The British statement mentions a new package of Lightweight Multirole Missiles, presented as a response to Russian jet-powered drones. London also says it will continue adapting British capabilities to equipment supplied by other partners.
The Ukrainian presidency describes stronger air defenses as a priority following Russian infrastructure attacks. Both accounts describe an announcement of support: they provide no detailed timetable establishing when this equipment will be delivered or operational.
Lyman: Ukraine’s Third Army Corps claims another 101 square kilometers retaken
On 14 October 2026, Ukraine’s Third Army Corps announced it had retaken another 101 square kilometers in the Lyman sector of Donetsk Oblast, the Kyiv Independent reports. The figure remains attributed to Ukrainian command.
The corps names Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi among the villages retaken in this fourth phase of Operation Vivaldi. The announcement summarizes an operation and does not precisely date every change of control.
In its 14 October assessment, the Institute for the Study of War repeats that claim and analyzes the effects of Ukrainian counterattacks on neighboring sectors. It nevertheless says it observed no new advance by either side that day.
These sources therefore do not provide two independent verifications of the claimed area. The corps’ operational tally and the daily frontline assessment cover different periods.
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.
