Today, February 24, marks the fourth anniversary of the start of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine. This was reported by UNN.
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Exactly four years ago, on this day, Russian troops invaded the territory of sovereign Ukraine, starting the largest war in Europe since World War II.
The morning of February 24, 2022, divided the lives of millions of Ukrainians into "before" and "after." At four in the morning, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced the start of a so-called "special military operation." A few minutes later, Ukrainian cities woke up to explosions – Russian missiles attacked military airfields, warehouses, and later residential buildings. Russia launched a full-scale invasion that generations will not forgive.
In the first weeks, the Russians launched an offensive in several directions at once – from the north through Belarus, from temporarily occupied Crimea, and from Donbas. The main goal of the Kremlin was to capture Kyiv – the invaders wanted to quickly break through to the capital, eliminate the Ukrainian government, and force the country to capitulate. The occupiers allocated three to five days for the "capture of Kyiv."
The reality turned out to be different. Ukrainian defenders stopped the enemy near the capital, defeated him in Hostomel, Irpin, and Bucha, and prevented him from breaking through to Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv. In the sea, the Russian cruiser pride – the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet "Moskva" – was destroyed.
While Ukrainians were liberating the north, one of the most tragic pages of the war unfolded in the south – the siege of Mariupol. Russian troops surrounded the city, cut off evacuation routes, and shelled residential areas, hospitals, and maternity hospitals. The only outpost of defense remained "Azovstal," where Ukrainian defenders held out until May 2022.
In September 2022, the world was surprised by the Ukrainian lightning counteroffensive. In a few weeks, our troops liberated almost the entire Kharkiv region, including Izium, Kupyansk, and Balakliya. The enemy was pushed back from Kharkiv, destroying the myth of the "second army of the world."
In November, Ukraine recaptured Kherson. This was a strategically important victory: the only regional center that the occupiers managed to capture since February 24 once again flew Ukrainian flags.
Over these four years, Ukraine has gone through painful losses and heroic victories. The Armed Forces have destroyed over 1 million 250 thousand occupiers, tens of thousands of units of enemy equipment. At the same time, Ukraine has lost 55 thousand soldiers, a large number of people are still considered missing. The war continues.
Today, on the fourth anniversary of the war, we remember not only the losses but also the heroism of our people. Ukraine will never be the same again, but it will be. And it will be free. This struggle for our independence and dignity continues, and together we will definitely win.
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