Russian and Ukraine War Updates
Overview
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has lasted since late February 2022. Ukraine had shown interest in joining the international alliance of NATO. However, having once been a territory under the Soviet Union's control, the country was met with opposition from Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin.
For a more detailed report on the earlier events of this conflict, see our previous article “What’s Going on Between Russia & Ukraine?”
Updates
April: Russia launched a missile attack on a civilian train station in Chaplyne, Ukraine, killing 22 people, at least one of them being an 11-year-old boy, and wounding about 50. That same day, multiple other attacks were reported from throughout Ukraine, though, the train station attack seemed to be the deadliest.
May: The Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, located in Mariupol, Ukraine, temporarily served as a refuge center for Ukrainians hoping to seek protection from the ongoing conflict. Russia attacked the city of Mariupol, sending bombs to rain down on the citizens. The plant was one of the strongest structures in the area, so it was one of the last to hold out against the bombs, though it was still considerably damaged. Thousands were trapped inside and many were killed outside.
June: The reason Russia’s missile attacks on Ukraine focus mostly on the Ukrainian coast is because the Russians occupied Snake Island. From the vantage point, Russia could easily launch missile attacks. However, in June, Ukraine fought for the territory, winning, and taking away Russia’s advantage.
July: The second largest Ukranian city of Kharkiv was attacked by Russia. Using explosives, the Russians targeted heavily populated regions, destroying healthcare facilities, urban areas, homes, and killing/wounding many civilians.
September: Ukraine advances onto Kharkiv, taking significant amounts of land back from the Russians. Russian troops abandoned their stations in Ukraine, retreating from the country, and leaving it open for Ukraine to recapture. This Russian defeat could potentially mark the turning point in the war as Ukraine gains momentum.
October: On the only bridge that links Crimea with Russia, a bomb exploded, destroying that connection. Neither opponent in the war took official public responsibilty for the attack, though Russian authorities claim that it was a Ukrainian truck bomb. The destruction of the bridge caused notable setbacks for Russian forces. This bridge was the most important route for supplies for Russians in southern Ukraine. Now, Russian troops trapped on the other side of the bridge will have severely limited military supplies
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/04/1096545742/ukraine-mariupol-azovstal-evacuees-russia-siege
https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/16/ukraine-unlawful-russian-attacks-kharkiv
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/10/08/world/russia-ukraine-war-news
https://www.nytimes.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-timeline.html
