Russia's attacks on Ukraine: 1 dead, 12 injured

Russia's attacks on Ukraine continue to intensify. Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that 1 person lost their life and 12 people were injured in 78 drone and 6 missile attacks carried out overnight. While one person died in a missile attack in the Odesa region, 8 people, including 1 child, were injured in a guided bomb attack in Zaporizhzhia, where 12 buildings were destroyed and 18 people were evacuated. Two people were also injured in an attack on the city of Kherson.

In the capital, Kyiv, 2 people were injured when a Russian drone fell, while 4 apartment buildings and 20 vehicles were damaged. Minister Klymenko stated that Russian forces also targeted the cities of Donetsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Ivano-Frankivsk. Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Governor Svitlana Onyshchuk announced that power outages occurred in the city as a result of attacks on critical infrastructure.

The Ukrainian army announced that air defense systems destroyed 66 drones and 4 missiles. As the attacks target civilian infrastructure and deepen the humanitarian crisis, anxiety and uncertainty are growing among the local population. It was also noted that the need for emergency aid and humanitarian support in the region is steadily increasing.

HOW IT BEGAN

The Russia-Ukraine War began with the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Here are the main events and developments regarding the start of the war:

1. THE ANNEXATION OF CRIMEA (2014)

• January 2014: Large-scale protests began in Ukraine against then-President Viktor Yanukovych, who wanted to sign an association agreement with the European Union. These events were called "Euromaidan."
• February 2014: Yanukovych was removed from office as a result of escalating protests. This situation drew a reaction from Russia.
• March 2014: Russia occupied Crimea and declared that Crimea had joined Russia following a referendum. This referendum caused widespread debate and criticism in the international arena.

2. SEPARATISM IN EASTERN UKRAINE

• April 2014: Russian-backed separatists launched an armed insurgency in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Eastern Ukraine. This process led the local population to side with Russia against the Ukrainian government.
• May 2014: The separatists held independence referendums in these regions and declared their own "people's republics."

3. UKRAINE'S RESPONSE

• The Ukrainian government launched a military intervention against these separatist movements and declared an "Anti-Terror Operation" (ATO).
• Clashes spread rapidly and thousands of people lost their lives. While Russia did not intervene directly with its military, it provided weapons and logistical support to the separatists.

4. MINSK AGREEMENTS

• September 2014 and February 2015: The Minsk I and Minsk II agreements were signed to stop the clashes. However, these agreements remained far from providing a lasting peace, and the fighting continued.

5. EXPANSION (2022)

• February 24, 2022: Russia launched a full-scale military attack against Ukraine. This constituted a new phase of the war and increased international reactions.

These developments are the main factors that shaped the beginning and the course of the Russia-Ukraine War. The war continues to deeply affect international relations and regional security.