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Russian invasion of Ukraine

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1. What we know so far
2. 20 October 2026: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo, The Kyiv Independent reported, in talks hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
3. 20 October 2026: Støre said Witkoff would meet Russian officials in St. Petersburg on 21 October to discuss peace proposals.
4. 19 October 2026: Al Jazeera reported Ukraine had launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia the previous day, and Russia's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 regions, Crimea and the Black Sea.
5. 18 October 2026: A fire broke out at the oil terminal of the Port of Saint Petersburg after Ukrainian drone strikes.
6. 16 October 2026: The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said Russian attacks killed 328 civilians and injured 2,105 in September 2026, an 85% rise from September 2025.
7. 16 October 2026: CBS News reported that President Donald Trump signed an executive order waiving sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act that had set tariffs on Russian oil buyers and Russian goods.
8. 14 October 2026: Russian strikes hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, killing at least nine people and leaving more than half a million Ukrainians without power, Al Jazeera reported.
9. 11 October 2026: Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, according to CBS News; the arrangement was not acknowledged by either combatant.
10. Key facts
11. Started: 24 February 2022
12. Killed or wounded (one combined estimate): About 1 million Ukrainians and Russians killed or wounded, by The Wall Street Journal's September 2024 report
13. Total war deaths, Quincy Institute estimate: 250,000
14. Verified Ukrainian civilian deaths in 2025: 2,514; 12,142 injuries
15. Internally displaced Ukrainians: 3.7 million
16. Ukrainian refugees: 6.9 million
17. Russia's direct war costs: Estimated at over US$450 billion
18. Ukraine reconstruction cost, World Bank Group estimate: US$588 billion
19. Background
20. On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, an event described as the start of the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin used the term "special military operation" in announcing the action, framed as support for the Russian-backed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. On 30 September 2022, Putin announced the annexation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, an act the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine denounced as illegal.
21. On 17 March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, charging him with individual criminal responsibility for the abduction of children forcibly deported to Russia. In March 2024, the ICC issued further arrest warrants for Russian military officials Sergey Kobylash, Viktor Sokolov, Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov. A special tribunal to prosecute Putin for the crime of aggression against Ukraine was formalized in May 2026 by 36 countries.
22. Timeline
23. 2022-02-24: Russia invades Ukraine; Putin announces a "special military operation."
24. 2022-09-30: Putin announces annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts; UN, US, EU and Ukraine denounce the move as illegal.
25. 2023-03-17: ICC issues arrest warrant for Putin over the abduction of children deported to Russia.
26. 2024-02-17: Russia captures Avdiivka after a prolonged battle.
27. 2024-03: ICC issues arrest warrants for Russian officials Kobylash, Sokolov, Shoigu and Gerasimov.
28. 2024-08-06: Ukraine launches its first direct offensive into Russian territory in Kursk Oblast.
29. 2024-08-15: Zelenskyy says Sudzha has been captured in Kursk.
30. 2024-09: The Wall Street Journal reports about one million Ukrainians and Russians combined have been killed or wounded.
31. 2025-02: 3.7 million Ukrainians are internally displaced and 6.9 million are refugees; the Quincy Institute estimates 250,000 war deaths.
32. 2025-06-01: Ukraine carries out "Operation Spiderweb" against several Russian air bases using smuggled drones; Ukraine says it damaged or destroyed 41 high-value aircraft, US officials say 20 planes were hit and 10 destroyed.
33. 2025-08: Ukrainian strikes had taken at least 17% of Russian refining (1.1 million barrels a day) offline, according to Reuters estimates.
34. 2026-01: UN reports 2025 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since 2022, with 2,514 deaths and 12,142 injuries verified.
35. 2026-02: Zelenskyy says approximately 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed.
36. 2026-05: A special tribunal to prosecute Putin for the crime of aggression is formalized by 36 countries.
37. 2026-06-02: Russia's missile and drone attacks across Ukrainian cities kill 24 people and injure 130 others.
38. 2026-06-15: Russian strikes kill nine people in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, damaging cultural sites including the Dormition Cathedral and the Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine in Kyiv Pechersk Lavra.
39. 2026-07-21: Zelenskyy dismisses Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and replaces him with Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi.
40. 2026-07-31: Zelenskyy claims about 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed, 400,000 wounded, many missing; Russian losses put at 1.6 million, including 700,000 deaths.
41. 2026-08-01: Ukraine's General Staff claims 42,860 Russian casualties during July 2026, the highest monthly figure of 2026.
42. 2026-08-04: Zelenskyy renews a 40-day SBU-led influence operation; UATV reports it has disabled 30% of Russia's oil-refining capacity and 80% of Wildberries logistics centers.
43. 2026-09-08: EU approves a loan for Ukraine to purchase 1,000 Patriot missiles.
44. 2026-09-09: Norwegian Prime Minister Støre says Zelenskyy's aircraft was nearly struck by a UAV while taking off from Moldova.
45. 2026-09-19: Trump administration approves a potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense equipment to Ukraine, financed through European contributions and US foreign military financing.
46. 2026-09-28: A Russian Shahed drone strikes the building housing the Presidium of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv, killing two and injuring six.
47. 2026-10-01: Ukraine claims 46,320 Russian casualties in September 2026, the highest of 2026 and the third consecutive month above 40,000.
48. 2026-10-04: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits Kyiv, promising €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy repairs.
49. 2026-10-07: Ukraine receives an EU loan worth €1.2 billion under the EU's Ukraine Support Loan program.
50. 2026-10-08: Russian strikes on two passenger buses in Kramatorsk kill at least 33 people.
51. 2026-10-10: A Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia kills 20 people, including three children.
52. 2026-10-14: Russian strikes hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other cities, killing at least nine and leaving more than half a million Ukrainians without power.
53. 2026-10-14: Phase four of Operation Vivaldi concludes with Ukraine claiming to have recaptured some 101 square kilometers and roughly 3,000 Russian losses.
54. 2026-10-16: UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reports 328 Ukrainian civilians killed and 2,105 injured in September 2026.
55. 2026-10-16: According to CBS News, Trump signs an executive order waiving 100% tariffs on Russian oil buyers and 500% tariffs on Russian goods set under the Graham Act.
56. 2026-10-17: Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claims some 2,730 Ukrainian drones have been neutralized heading towards the Moscow region between 10 and 17 October, with 534 intercepted near Moscow itself.
57. 2026-10-18: Fire breaks out at the oil terminal of the Port of Saint Petersburg after Ukrainian drone strikes.
58. 2026-10-19: Al Jazeera reports Ukraine launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia the previous day; Russia's Defense Ministry says it intercepted 1,015 drones over 15 regions, Crimea and the Black Sea.
59. 2026-10-20: Zelenskyy meets US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo; Støre says Witkoff will meet Russian officials in St. Petersburg on 21 October to discuss peace proposals.
60. Parties and their stated positions
61. Russia describes its action as a "special military operation." Putin's 30 September 2022 announcement cited support for the Russian-backed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk; the annexed oblasts were declared part of Russia, an act the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine have called illegal. According to The Christian Science Monitor, Russian analysts have insisted that the US-backed peace plan carried to Kyiv by Witkoff and Jared Kushner in early September 2026 reflected Moscow's terms and should be the basis for a settlement, while Zelenskyy rejected the plan.
62. Ukraine's position, as set out by Zelenskyy, has called for an end to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy and for continued sanctions pressure on Moscow; in remarks cited by CBS News on 16 October 2026, he described Trump's sanctions waiver as "unfortunate" and said it would only encourage further Russian attacks. Zelenskyy has separately described US-backed peace efforts in ways that, according to Russian analysts cited by The Christian Science Monitor, fall short of Moscow's terms.
63. US President Donald Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" on 11 October 2026 and signed an executive order on 16 October 2026 waiving tariffs set under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act, moves that have drawn bipartisan criticism in the US Senate and pushback from Kyiv. On 15 October 2026, Trump told Newsmax that Ukraine's renewed strikes on Russian energy infrastructure were a "disgrace" and said "Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with." On 18 October 2026, CBS News reported that Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did," criticizing Ukrainian strikes on Russian diesel refineries.
64. Diplomacy and negotiations
65. On 19 September 2026, the Trump administration approved a potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense equipment to Ukraine, financed through European contributions and US foreign military financing. On 4 October 2026, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Kyiv and promised €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy repairs. On 7 October 2026, Ukraine received an EU loan of €1.2 billion under the EU's Ukraine Support Loan program. On 8 September 2026, the EU approved a loan for Ukraine to purchase 1,000 Patriot missiles.
66. On 11 October 2026, Trump announced an "energy ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine; according to the cited reporting, neither Kyiv nor Moscow acknowledged an arrangement. The Kyiv Independent records that on 20 October 2026, Zelenskyy met US special envoy Steve Witkoff in Oslo in a session hosted by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, with the EU and NATO also represented. Al Jazeera reported that the day would include bilateral talks between Zelenskyy and Witkoff, a trilateral meeting with Støre and Stubb, and joint talks with all three officials. US presidential envoy Jared Kushner was scheduled to join remotely because of illness, Reuters reported on 19 October 2026. Støre said on 20 October 2026 that Witkoff would meet Russian officials in St. Petersburg on 21 October to discuss peace proposals.
67. Military events
68. Russia captured Avdiivka on 17 February 2024 after a prolonged battle. On 6 August 2024, Ukraine launched its first direct offensive into Russian territory in Kursk Oblast; Zelenskyy said Sudzha was captured on 15 August 2024. In late 2025 Russia claimed to have captured Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad and Huliaipole in early 2026.
69. Ukraine's "Operation Spiderweb" on 1 June 2025 struck several Russian air bases deep inside Russia with smuggled drones; Ukraine said it damaged or destroyed 41 high-value aircraft, while US officials said 20 planes were hit and 10 destroyed. By August 2025, Ukrainian attacks had hit ten Russian oil refineries, disrupting Russia's refinery capacity by at least 17% or 1.1 million barrels a day, according to Reuters estimates. On 21 July 2026, Zelenskyy dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and replaced him with Major General Mykhailo Drapatyi. On 14 October 2026, phase four of Operation Vivaldi had concluded, with Ukraine claiming to have recaptured some 101 square kilometers and roughly 3,000 Russian losses. The Kyiv Independent reported on 20 October 2026 that Ukraine's HUR claimed its Group 10 special forces unit killed 108 Russian soldiers and captured 29 in a Sumy Oblast operation.
70. On 31 July 2026, Zelenskyy claimed about 50,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed, 400,000 wounded and a "huge" number missing, and that Russian losses were 1.6 million including 700,000 deaths. In February 2026 Zelenskyy said approximately 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed. Ukraine's General Staff claimed on 1 August 2026 that Russian forces suffered 42,860 casualties during July 2026, described as the highest monthly figure in 2026. On 1 October 2026, Ukraine claimed 46,320 Russian casualties in September 2026, the highest of 2026 and the third consecutive month above 40,000. Estonia's intelligence chief estimated Russian losses over the week ending 18 September 2026 at 11,000, averaging 1,600 personnel killed and wounded per day. The Kyiv Independent reported on 20 October 2026 that Ukraine said 16,180 foreigners had signed contracts with the Russian army during the first nine months of 2026, with almost 46,000 foreigners signing since 2022.
71. Al Jazeera reported on 19 October 2026 that Ukraine had launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia the previous day, and Russia's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 regions, Crimea and the Black Sea. On 18 October 2026, a fire broke out at the oil terminal of the Port of Saint Petersburg after Ukrainian drone strikes. On 17 October 2026, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin claimed some 2,730 Ukrainian drones had been neutralized heading towards the Moscow region between 10 and 17 October, with 534 intercepted near Moscow itself.
72. Humanitarian impact
73. According to the UN Human Rights Office in January 2026, 2025 proved the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians since 2022, with verified totals of 2,514 deaths and 12,142 injuries, a 31% increase over 2024. A separate UN Human Rights Office report cited on 4 October 2026 stated that at least 15,280 Ukrainian civilians were killed or injured in the first eight months of 2026, marking a 55% rise compared with the same period in 2025. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported that July 2026 was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since May 2022, with at least 437 killed and 2,610 injured.
74. On 2 June 2026, Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukrainian cities killed 24 people and injured 130 others. On 15 June 2026, Russian strikes killed nine people in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro, damaging cultural sites including the Dormition Cathedral and the Museum of Historical Treasures of Ukraine in Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. On 8 October 2026, Russian strikes on two passenger buses in Kramatorsk killed at least 33 people. On 10 October 2026, a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia killed 20 people, including three children. On 28 September 2026, a Russian Shahed drone struck the building housing the Presidium of Ukraine's National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv, killing two and injuring six.
75. As of February 2025, 3.7 million Ukrainians were internally displaced and 6.9 million were refugees. The Wall Street Journal reported in September 2024 that one million Ukrainians and Russians combined had been killed or wounded in the war. The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft estimated in February 2025 that the war had caused 250,000 deaths.
76. Economic effects
77. Russia's direct war costs have been estimated at more than US$450 billion, and the World Bank Group has assessed Ukraine's reconstruction cost at US$588 billion. Energy infrastructure has been a central target: Al Jazeera reported on 14 October 2026 that Russian strikes struck energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, leaving at least nine people dead and more than half a million Ukrainians without power. Reuters estimates indicated that by August 2025, Ukrainian attacks had cut Russia's refinery capacity by at least 17% or 1.1 million barrels a day.
78. CBS News reported on 16 October 2026 that Trump signed an executive order on 16 October 2026 waiving 100% tariffs on Russian oil buyers and 500% tariffs on Russian goods that had been set under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. A further executive order, dated 17 October 2026, waived sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 to facilitate a deal for Russian diesel fuel. CBS News reported on 16 October 2026 that a bipartisan group of US senators had called the diesel sanctions waivers "a betrayal of the people of Ukraine" and urged enforcement of the Graham Act.
79. International reactions
80. The annexation declared by Putin on 30 September 2022 was denounced as illegal by the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Ukraine. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin on 17 March 2023 over the abduction of children forcibly deported to Russia. A special tribunal to prosecute Putin for the crime of aggression against Ukraine was formalized in May 2026 by 36 countries. On 17 October 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ukrainian access to SpaceX Starshield was not permitted at present, while Starlink was described as a commercial product.
81. On 8 September 2026, the EU approved a loan for Ukraine to purchase 1,000 Patriot missiles. On 19 September 2026, the Trump administration approved a potential $2.68 billion sale of air defense equipment to Ukraine, financed through European contributions and US foreign military financing. On 4 October 2026, German Chancellor Merz visited Kyiv and promised €1 billion in military aid and €350 million for energy repairs. On 7 October 2026, Ukraine received an EU loan of €1.2 billion under the EU's Ukraine Support Loan program.
82. Latest developments
83. On 14 October 2026, Al Jazeera reported that Russian strikes had hit energy infrastructure in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, leaving at least nine people dead and more than half a million Ukrainians without power; Zelenskyy accused Russia of violating the "energy ceasefire" announced by Trump on 11 October. A Ukrainian technology adviser cited by Al Jazeera said SpaceX that night introduced speed limits on Starlink terminals in motion, disrupting Ukrainian military drone operations. The trial of Ukrainian citizen Serhii Kuznetsov started in Hamburg that day, accused of helping to blow up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
84. On 15 October 2026, Trump told Newsmax that Ukraine's renewed strikes on Russian energy infrastructure were a "disgrace" and said "Zelensky is not a good guy for us to deal with." On 16 October 2026, CBS News reported that Trump signed an executive order waiving 100% tariffs on Russian oil buyers and 500% tariffs on Russian goods that had been set under the Graham Act; Kirill Dmitriev, described as an envoy to Putin, praised the suspension as a "truly historic moment," while Zelenskyy described the move as "unfortunate." The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported on 16 October 2026 that Russian attacks killed 328 civilians in September 2026.
85. On 17 October 2026, Marco Rubio said Ukrainian access to SpaceX Starshield was not permitted at present, and Moscow Mayor Sobyanin claimed some 2,730 Ukrainian drones had been neutralized heading towards the Moscow region between 10 and 17 October. On 18 October 2026, CBS News reported that Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy "doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did," criticizing Ukrainian strikes on Russian diesel refineries. A fire broke out at the oil terminal of the Port of Saint Petersburg after Ukrainian drone strikes, and Lithuanian authorities reported a drone explosion near Juodžionys with debris found, after drones were seen moving from Poland toward Latvia.
86. On 19 October 2026, Al Jazeera reported that Ukraine had launched more than 1,000 drones at Russia the previous day, and Russia's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted 1,015 Ukrainian drones over 15 regions, Crimea and the Black Sea. Reuters reported that Kushner was to join the Oslo talks remotely because of illness. On 19 October 2026, CBS News reported Secretary of State Rubio as saying that any delays in US air defense shipments to Ukraine were not deliberate. On 20 October 2026, Zelenskyy met Witkoff in Oslo in talks hosted by Støre and Stubb, with the EU and NATO also represented. Al Jazeera reported that the day would include bilateral talks between Zelenskyy and Witkoff, a trilateral meeting with Støre and Stubb, and joint talks with all three. Støre said Witkoff would meet Russian officials in St. Petersburg on 21 October to discuss peace proposals.

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