Ukraine Timeline

The USSR collapses and Ukraine gains independence. However, Russia maintains influence over Ukraine and a large Russian diaspora remains in eastern Ukraine.

THE WAR IN DONBASS

TIMELINE:

1991

22 February 2014

Protesters oust Yanukovych.

March 2014

Pro-Russian protests begin in the Donbass province of eastern Ukraine while seperatist forces and the Russian military prepare for a conflict.

Summer 2014

2013

The Euromaidan movement begins, protesting against corruption in the Ukrainian government led by pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

February-March 2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes advantage of the precarious political situation to annex Crimea.

April 2014

On the direction of the Russian government, seperatist militants seize government and police buildings throughout the Donetsk province.

2015

Despite the Minsk Protocol ceasefire, fighting escalates at Donetsk and Luhansk.

Spring 2021

Russian forces build up at the Ukrainian border. Currently, much of the Donbass remains under Russian control.

2017

Several truce attempts fail as each side blames the other for ceasefire violations.

(KREMLIN)

(Mstyslav Chernov/UNFRAME)

(Andrew Butko)

Russia launches an invasion of the Donbass after the Luhansk and Donetsk regions secede from Ukraine and become autonomous states.

(Andrew Butko)

See a map of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics.

(Olegzima)

Learn more about the Euromaidan protests.

https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/understanding-ukraines-euromaidan-protests A 5-Minute Guide to Understanding Ukraine's Euromaidan ProtestsIn late November 2013, Ukrainians took to the streets in peaceful protest after then-president Viktor Yanukovych chose not to sign an agreement that...Opensocietyfoundations

See a map of Crimea.

(Maxmilian Dorrbecker)

See a map of the evolution of Ukraine throughout Soviet rule.

(Spiridon Ion Cepleanu)

Learn more about the 2014 revolution.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30131108 Ukraine's revolution: Making sense of a year of chaosThe student protests organised to force President Viktor Yanukovych and Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to sign an association agreement with the EU...BBC News

Learn more about the seperatist movement in the Donbass.

https://www.crisisgroup.org/europe-central-asia/eastern-europe/ukraine/russia-and-separatists-eastern-ukraine Russia and the Separatists in Eastern UkraineA 2015 ceasefire signed in Minsk is largely holding in eastern Ukraine, while the most likely outcome is a brittle, long-term frozen conflict....Crisis Group

Learn more about the Minsk Protocol.

http://euromaidanpress.com/minsk-agreements-faq/ Everything you wanted to know about the Minsk peace deal, but were afraid to askWhat happened? There's a war going on in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-separatist troops. The conflict in eastern Ukraine...Euromaidan Press

See a map of the current frontline.

(Nielle)

Learn more about the insurgencies.

https://www.ponarseurasia.org/new-policy-memo-domestic-sources-of-the-donbas-insurgency/ New Policy Memo: Domestic Sources of the Donbas Insurgency - PONARS EurasiaThe armed conflict in the Donbas has been widely portrayed in Western policy circles and mainstream media as a result of Russia's covert military...PONARS Eurasia

Learn more about the escalation of the conflict during the early months of 2017.

https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/ukraine World Report 2018: Rights Trends in UkraineThroughout 2017, all sides in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine frequently ignored the 2015 Minsk Agreements and endangered civilians and...Human Rights Watch

(Mstyslav Chernov)

(UKRAINIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE)

(Kirill Novikov/RUSSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE)

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The Ukrainian flag.

Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych

Protesters clash with Ukrainian police on Feb. 18 2014, days before the government was overthrown.

Russian President Vladimir Putin.

A pro-Russian protest in Donetsk on March 9 2014.

Separatist insurgents hold a government building in Slovianisk, in the Donetsk region on April 14 2014.

DPR armoured vehicles patrol near Donetsk.

Russian soldier trains in 2021.

Military parade in the Donetsk People's Republic in May 2018.

View from the Ukrainian line near Donetsk in January 2017.