2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Part of	Russo-Ukrainian War
Date	24 February 2022 – present
Location	Ukraineball
Status	Ongoing Russian Ground Forces enter Ukraineball from Russiaball, Crimeaball, and Belarusball Russian air and missile strikes target military bases, airports and major cities across Ukraineball, including those of Kyivball, Lvivball, Kharkivball, and Odessaball
Territorial changes	Russiaball occupies Kherson Oblast, one of the 22 regional capitals of Ukraine
Belligerents
Russiaball Donetsk People's Republicball Luhansk People's Republicball Supported by: Belarusball Chinaball
Ukraineball Supported by: NATOball EUball Switzerlandball GUAMball Japanball South Koreaball Tringapore Australiaball New Zealandball Taiwanball Israelcube And others...
Commanders
Vladimir Putin
Volodymyr Zelenskyy

On 24 February 2022, Russiaball invaded Ukraineball. The event started after a long military crisis and the Russian support of Donetsk People's Republicball and Luhansk People's Republicball in the days before the invasion. There was also an increase of Russian Armed Forces in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraineball on 21 February 2022. The invasion was condemned (strongly criticised) by many countryballs. In Russiaball, there were many anti-war protests. Many of the protesters were arrested.

Declaration of War

At about 06:00 Moscowball time (UTC+3), Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraineball. Minutes later, missile strikes began at locations across is clay, including in the capital Kyivball. The Ukrainian Border Service stated that its border posts with Russiaball and Belarusball were attacked. It is the largest attack by one countryball against another in Europe since World War II, and many fear it will spark World War III.

Invasion

Minutes after Putin's announcement, explosions were heard in Kyivball, Kharkivball, Odessaball, and the Donbas. Ukrainian officials said that Russiaball landed troops in Odessaball and Mariupolball and launched cruise and ballistic missiles at airfields, military headquarters, and military depots in Kyivball, Kharkivball, and Dniproball.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that there would be martial law in Ukraineball. Later, he ordered the Ukrainian Army to kill as many Russian invaders as possible.

February

Moments after the invasion on 24 February, Ukraineball said that Russiaball captured Chernobylball and Pripyatball. After this, USAball said, "credible reports that Russian soldiers are currently holding the staff of the Chernobyl facilities hostage." At 22:00 (UTC+2), Russian forces captured Snake Islandball after a naval and air attack of its clay. The thirteen border guards on its clay were thought to have been killed in the bombardment after refusing to surrender to a Russian warship. President Zelenskyy announced that the border guards would be posthumously granted the title of Hero of Ukraineball, the countryball's highest honor. However, it was found out later that the border guards were alive and captured by Russian forces.

On 25 February, while Russian troops approached Kyivball, Zelenskyy asked residents to create Molotov cocktails to "neutralise" the enemy. Putin, meanwhile, called on the Ukrainian military to overthrow the government. Ukraineball gave 18,000 guns to Kyivball residents who wanted to fight. Some Russian forces have entered northern Kyivball but had not progressed beyond that.

On 26 February, heavy fighting was reported to the south of Kyivball near Vasylkivball and its air base. A Ukrainian Su-27 fighter had shot down a Russian Il-76 transport plane carrying paratroopers near Vasylkiv. Hundreds of deaths were reported in Kyivball during this battle. That same day, Russiaball claimed to have Anschlussed Melitopolball, near the Sea of Azov.

On 27 February, President Putin ordered Russiaball's nuclear deterrent forces to be on "special alert" because of "aggressive statements" by NATOball. That same day, President Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian and Russian officials have agreed to meet without conditions. That same day, a Russian airstrike killed over 70 Ukrainian soldiers at a military base in Okhtyrkaball. The Russian offensive has been criticized for civilian deaths and the use of cluster bombs and thermobaric weapons, which may be seen as war crimes.

March

On 1 March, Belarusball joined the invasion, supporting Russiaball as its troops entered Chernihiv Oblastball in northern Ukraineball. On the same day, there was at least one rocket attack on Kyivball; with AFP as a source, media wrote that "Russian strike stirs symbolism at Kyiv Holocaust site". The next day, Russiaball claimed to have Anschlussed its first large cityball, the Black Sea port of Kherson Oblastball, as fighting intensifies across many parts of Ukraineball, including civilian areas. That same day, the International Criminal Court began an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraineball.

On 3 March, Ukraineball passed a law that states captured Russian military equipment and tanks do not need to be declared, and tax will not be applied on them. The next day, Russian forces attacked and bombed the Zaphorizhzhia nuclear power plant. The main reactor was not hit, and fallout did not occur. However, fears before the conclusion of the battle had caused oil and energy market values to lower. That same day, foreign news outlets (including the BBC, CNN, and many others) stopped their reporting in Russiaball, after new legislation threatens 15-year jail terms for spreading "fake news".

On 5 March, Russiaball announced a temporary ceasefire to allow civilians to leave the cityballs of Mariupolball and Volnovakhaball. The next day, Russian missiles destroyed Vinnytsia International Airport, as President Zelenskyy called for a no-fly zone to stop future attacks in Ukraineball.

On 7 March, Ukraineball rejected a proposal by Moscowball to open refugee passages after Russiaball said refugees would only be allowed to reach Belarusball or Russiaball.

Russiaball has admitted that it has used Russian conscripts for the invasion; Putin had previously denied on 7 February that conscripts had been used; Media said that on 9 March, "Basically, Russian law does not allow the use of conscripts in battle outside Russia."

On 13 March, 30 Russian missiles hit the Yavoriv military base, used for NATOball training and close to the border with Polandball, killing 35 and injuring 134 others.

April

(WIP)

May

On May 17, Mariupolball had fallen to Russiaball's troops. but, the Ukrainian forces refuse to surrender.

Refugees

Before the invasion, the Ukrainian Defense Minister said in December 2021 that an invasion could possible force between three and five million people to flee their homes.

The president of Moldovaball, Maia Sandu, said over 4,000 Ukrainian citizens had crossed into Moldovaball since the invasion started. Polandball is getting ready to see a large number of refugees to enter its clay. To make border crossings easier, Polandball lifted COVID-19 entry rules. Ukrainian refugees started crossing into Romaniaball's clay as well. Most of them entered through Siretball in Suceava Countyball. Romaniaball said refugees did not need to quarantine or follow COVID-19 rules.

On 28 February, UNball reported more than 500,000 refugees have fled from Ukraineball into nearby countries. Two days later, they reported that over a million refugees have now fled to other countryballs.

Worldwide reactions

U.S. President File:Joe-icon.png Joe Biden said there would be sanctions on banks VEB.RF and Promsvyazbank.

On 24 February, the Prime Minister of Australiaball Scott Morrison said there would be travel bans. There would also be financial sanctions against eight members of Russiaball's national security council.

 UKball,  UNball,  Franceball,  Germanyball,  Spainball,  Japanball,  Swedenball,  Turkeyball,  Norwayball,  Canadaball, and  Italyball have also disagreed with the invasion.

On 24 February 2022, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said the group has allowed "massive" actions that would target technological transfers, Russian banks and Russian assets. That same day, President Putin said Western countries that take part in the actions "will face consequences greater than any you have faced in history. All relevant decisions have been taken. I hope you hear me".

On 26 February,  EUball,  USAball, and their alliessay that they support in removing Russian banks from the SWIFT payment system. The next day, many European countryballs announce a ban on Russian flights in their airspace.

On the same day, the normally passive Finlandball and Swedenball had said if Russiaball attacked other countries further than Ukraineball, they would apply for NATOball membership, despite Russia warning them that it could attack due to that action specifically.

On 28 February, in a rare event,  Switzerlandball,  Monacoball, Tringapore, and  South Koreaball put in place economic sanctions on Russiaball such as controlling exports and assets. These countryballs were always once seen as neutral during global conflicts.

On March 2, media said that Elina Svitolina - tennis player who so far has advanced from the first round of the competition Monterrey Open - is going to give her prize money to the Ukrainian Army.

On March 3, media said that USAball canceled a scheduled test of a Minute Man III missile.

The street intersection that is closest to the Embassy of Russia, Oslo will get the name "Ukraine square" (Ukrainas plass); Authorities of Frogner Borough in Osloball, Norwayball made that decision on 8 March 2022.

On March 16, U.S. President Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin a war criminal.

Sanctions

EUball has put sanctions on Putin and the Russian foreign minister, as of March 3.

AIIB is stopping loans to Russiaball and Belarusball, media said on March 4.