Maps show Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Shayanne Gal/Insider
- The invasion of Ukraine continues, leading to thousands of Ukrainian and Russian casualties.
- Russian forces have had little success gaining new territory in eastern Ukraine.
- Ukrainian counteroffensives have been stymying and ultimately repelling Russian forces.
Russian forces have had little recent success in gaining more territory in eastern Ukraine, according to the
Institute for the Study of War.
The invaders have substantial troop presences in the east and south, but Ukrainian forces successfully repelled Russian attacks both near the northeastern city of Kharkiv and the area west of Izyum on April 28. Despite Russian shellings and attacks, Russian troops "did not secure any gains" in eastern Ukraine on the 28th, the institute wrote.
Russian troops did, however, have several successful attacks in southern Ukraine in recent days, ultimately capturing the outskirts of Tavriyske, likely with the intent of capturing the western border of Kherson Oblast.
Ukraine is situated in eastern Europe. The initial Russian attack came from the South, in Crimea, from the East, in Russia, and from the North, in Russia and Belarus.
It is a strategically important country both for Russia as well as the coalition of countries in NATO. While Ukraine has substantial links to Russia, recently the country has sought to align its interests with Europe and the United States. The prospect of another NATO-aligned nation on its border was
a motivating factor for Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch an invasion.
In 2014, pro-Russian separatists took control of parts of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine after
Russian forces invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula. The general line of control had, prior to the invasion, stood here.
Initially,
Putin recognized the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine as independent states,
ordering troops there for what he
claimed was a peace-keeping operation in the east of the country.
Fewer than 72 hours later,
Putin launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine from multiple directions. Over multiple months,
Russia gathered its forces in Belarus, western Russia, and the Black Sea — a force the US estimated to be over 150,000
troops and with the vehicles, artillery, tanks, and field hospitals to launch a massive assault.
On February 24 and 25, 2022, Russian forces drove towards Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv. There were missile strikes seen on
video reports from the area, and officials reported troops were advancing toward the city of Chernihiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on February 24, 2022, that
Russian forces attacked through the Chernobyl exclusion zone and had taken control of it.
Russian forces have been repelled from the city and the Chernobyl exclusion zone.
