Ukraine is marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, a conflict that began on February 24, 2022, and is now entering its fifth year The invasion was initiated days after Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, announcing what he termed a "special military operation" against Ukraine
Four years on, the war continues with intense fighting. On the anniversary, Russian drone and missile strikes targeted several Ukrainian cities In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, attacks wounded at least five people, including a child, and damaged infrastructure In the southern Odesa region, strikes on port infrastructure killed two people and wounded three others In Kyiv, where streets that once braced for tanks are now lined with flags for fallen soldiers, the anniversary was marked with solemn remembrance
European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, were expected in the Ukrainian capital to show solidarity on the anniversary The conflict persists as a brutal war of attrition, with ongoing attacks across the country highlighting the profound human and material cost. In Moscow, Russian authorities reported that a man detonated an explosive device near a railway station, killing one police officer and wounding two others
Mohsin Rana
