Storming of Kiev, fall of Bakhmut and Wagner uprising: 24 months of Ukrainian war in 12 chapters

It is February 24, 2022. Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin announces in a televised speech the start of a “special military operation in the Donbass”. Shortly afterwards, the Russian army invaded Ukraine from several directions. The war begins.

Russian forces are rapidly capturing the exclusion zone around the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant and Hostomel airport, north of the capital Kiev. But the Ukrainian forces recapture the airport, and the Russians also fail in the cities of Kiev and Kharkov.

In southern Ukraine, the Russian army can score successes: Putin’s forces occupy the strategically important Snake Island and cross the Dnepr River from Crimea – resulting in the occupation of the city of Kherson.

The siege of Mariupol began in early March 2022 when Russian forces surrounded the city. One of the most shocking events was the attack on the Mariupol Theater on March 16, 2022, during which the building that served as a refuge for hundreds of civilians was bombed. Despite large signs indicating the presence of children, the theater was hit, resulting in numerous casualties. The exact number of deaths is still controversial today.

Another tragic incident was the destruction of the maternity hospital in Mariupol, which also killed civilians, including pregnant women. The attacks on civilian targets sparked international outrage. The international community accused Russia of war crimes.

The complete capture of Mariupol by Russian forces and allied separatist forces in May 2022 marked a pivotal event in the conflict.

As Russian forces waged their battle at the Kiev stronghold, some soldiers committed horrific war crimes around the Ukrainian city of Bucha.

After the Russian forces withdrew after just over a month in early April 2022, according to Ukrainian information, 458 bodies were found in August 2022 (final balance), of which 419 showed signs that the victims had been shot, tortured or beaten to death. Nearly all the dead were civilians.

To this day, Russia firmly denies the accusation of having committed war crimes. All cases are still being investigated by investigators.

On the first day of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Russian cruiser Moskva and a corvette visited the Ukrainian Snake Island. Despite radio requests, the Ukrainian unit did not surrender to the Russian attacker; instead, soldier Roman Hrybov responded over the radio: “Russian warship, fuck you!” The Russians captured 82 Ukrainian soldiers, and 36 remain in Russian captivity to this day.

In the battle for Snake Island, Russia lost its flagship, the Moskva. According to Ukrainian information, in the early evening of April 13, 2022, the ship was shot at with two Ukrainian anti-ship missiles of the Neptune type, causing it to catch fire. A few days later, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Moskva had sunk in “stormy seas” en route to Sevastopol. The day after the ship sank, Russia attacked the Neptune missile factory near Kiev.

It is one of Ukraine’s largest counterattacks to date: In October 2022, Ukrainian forces attacked the Crimean Bridge, the peninsula’s only connection to the Russian mainland. Russia retaliated by bombing Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and numerous civilian targets in the west of the country.

In September 2022, Russia officially declared the annexation of Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts after holding so-called referenda in these areas. These votes were internationally condemned as illegal and a violation of international law because they took place under military occupation and without respect for international norms.

The annexation led to a further escalation of the conflict in the region. The West decided on new sanctions and increased military support for Ukraine.

The Battle of Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine, was one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Ukrainian war. Strategically located on key supply routes and surrounded by a number of defensive positions, Bakhmut became both a symbolic and tactical target.

In May 2023, Russia announced the capture of the city. For Russia, the capture of Bakhmut was a decisive step in securing the Donbas region; Ukraine saw the city’s stubborn defense as a sign of defiance and determination.

After months of intensive preparations and with increased support from Western countries providing state-of-the-art weapons and equipment, Ukraine launched a large-scale military operation in the spring and summer of 2023 to retake the territories occupied by Russia.

Despite significant successes, the counter-offensive was not as successful as Ukraine had hoped. Experts agree on this. The reasons for this are diverse. The biggest obstacle: Russian forces have turned eastern Ukraine into a minefield. According to the Kiev government, they have mined 30 percent of the land.

In 2023, there were several attacks by Ukraine on Russia. Among the most symbolic attacks were drone strikes on Moscow, which caused minor damage to residential buildings and created uncertainty. Russia described the attacks as “terror,” while Ukraine denied responsibility. Russian leaders announced they would strengthen the capital’s air defenses and reserved “the toughest possible measures” in response.

Another significant event was the shooting and capture of Russian soldiers by pro-Ukrainian fighters in the Belgorod region, which Russian officials viewed as confirmation of attacks on Russian territory. These attacks received mixed reactions internationally, although, for example, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (43) confirmed that Ukraine is capable of carrying out such attacks.

The blowing up of the Kakhovka Dam near Kherson in the summer of 2023 was momentous. The dam, part of the Dnipro hydropower system, is located in the southern part of Ukraine and plays a central role in the region’s water supply, irrigation and energy production.

Ukraine and Russia accused each other of being responsible for the explosion. The exact details and intentions behind the dam’s destruction are complex and characterized by conflicting stories.

The immediate consequences were devastating: floods, a humanitarian crisis, ecological disasters and also strategic consequences for the war.

The Wagner Group, a Russian private military company closely linked to the Russian military and intelligence services and active in several conflict zones, including Ukraine, launched a short-lived uprising against the Russian military leadership in June 2023.

The uprising began when Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (1961-2023) and his fighters began turning against the Russian leadership, aiming to “purify” the military leadership, which they blamed for incompetence and mismanagement in the war. with Ukraine being blamed. The Wagner fighters took several strategic positions in Russia and moved towards Moscow, creating a serious crisis. There was even fear of a civil war.

However, the uprising ended relatively quickly, following negotiations reportedly brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Prigozhin and his fighters were assured of their safety and told to withdraw. At the end of August 2023, Prigozhin’s private plane crashed and he died. Observers assume that the Kremlin is behind the death of the Wagner boss.

The Ukrainian army has withdrawn from the controversial city of Avdiivka in the east of the country, in a move that has mainly symbolic significance. The withdrawal was made to avoid encirclement and to protect the lives of the soldiers. Russian forces had been trying to capture Avdiivka since October 2023, with defenders fighting in difficult conditions. The withdrawal is seen as the biggest setback for Ukraine since Bakhmut.