The Biggest Moments in the Russia Ukraine War (as of October 2022)
The full version of this List (with images, videos, articles and/or datatables) is available at https://listjar.com/list/the-biggest-moments-in-the-russia-ukraine-war
The Russian war against Ukraine has shocked and scandalized the world, filling our television screens with images of brutality and destruction, along with stories of heroism and survival against the odds. Here are the eight biggest moments that have defined this war so far.
Russia invades Ukraine
Although U.S. intelligence provided ample warning, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 still stunned the world. After World War II and the collapse of the Soviet Union, many could not have imagined another major land war occurring in Europe. Many international observers have said that the war has ushered in a new era in international politics. As one journal put it, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has upended the existing world order — and with it the global energy, production, distribution, and financial systems.” Or, as CNN’s Erin Burnett warned, “Ukraine’s story will define the world we all live in.” Ukrainian resolve in the face of a much larger aggressor won over hearts and minds across the world and U.S., Europe, and other allies rallied to support the country defend itself in an unprovoked war.
Ukrainian soldiers hold out on island
An early display of fierce Ukrainian resistance came on the first day of the war when a Russian war ship attacked Snake Island in the Black Sea and demanded the Ukrainian garrison surrender over the radio. The Ukrainians now-famous response: “Russian warship, go fuck yourself.” The incident was later memorialized in a Ukrainian-issued stamp. Although taken prisoner, the soldiers were later returned on a prisoner exchange while the warship, the Moskva, was later sunk, in a major blow to Russian prestige.
The Mariupol theater
One of the more harrowing stories that came out of the war was the brutal siege of Mariupol, in which some of the last holdouts took shelter in the Mariupol theater. Despite a painted warning in the parking lot that children were inside, Russian forces still bombed the theater, much to the horror of the world. Fortunately, some of those inside survived and were able to escape. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and Amnesty International declared the bombing a war crime – one of many Russia would be accused of committing over the course of the war.
The Azovstal steel plant
One extraordinary moment in Ukrainian bravery and resolve came in the defense of the Azov steel plant in Mariupol. Bounded by water on three sides, with underground bomb shelters the nearly century-old four-square mile steel plant was where members of the nationalist Azov regiment made their stand against the Russian military for 80 days. The New York Times called it an “an apocalyptic siege that became Ukraine’s version of the Alamo.” Although the Ukrainian forces ultimately surrendered, they succeeded in tying down Russian forces at a critical point in the war.
Russian withdrawal from Kyiv
When the war first began, Russian forces concentrated their assault on the capital of Kyiv, threatening Ukraine’s very viability as a country. At one point, the Russian army came within 12 miles of the city center. But Ukrainian forces held out and the Russians retreated on March 29, making a turning point in the war. One journalist called Russia’s failure to take the capital a “defeat for the ages.”
Exposure of Russian war crimes
But there as a dark side to Ukraine’s victory in the battle for Kyiv. As Russian soldiers withdrew, Ukrainians came across grisly scenes of bodies strewn across the streets in the suburb of Bucha, along with tales of torture and brutality from residents who had survived the Russian occupation.
Ukrainian counter offensive
After months of a stalemate in the East, the Ukrainian military launched a counteroffensive on July 27, once again redefining the war. Ukrainians have since retaken an estimated 2,317 square miles. Russia has responded by instituting a ‘partial’ draft, which has led to an exodus of young men from the country.
Annexation of Ukrainian territories
On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the annexation of four Ukrainian territories – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. The annexation was more an act of political theater than a reflection of military realities on the ground, but it gave Russia pretense to make the absurd claim that it is now defending its own territory, raising the specter of the use of nuclear weapons to do so.