The state of Ukraine, one year later

The Feb. 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine was the largest military action in Europe since World War II. Russia attacked the country with airstrikes, missiles and thousands of ground troops.
 
A year later, the war’s toll has been immense. Thousands of Ukrainians are dead, with the conflict leading to millions more fleeing their homes in cities that have been occupied or leveled by Russian forces. The impact of the war has been felt globally, too.
 
The capital of Kyiv, a focal point at the start of the conflict, is still standing, and under Ukrainian control. And as the war enters its second year, the air raid sirens that continue to howl in the city are a reminder there’s no end to the conflict.

This newsletter was compiled by Joshua Barajas.

ONE YEAR IN, THE WAR ENTERS A NEW STAGE

The PBS NewsHour has covered the political, human, economic and battlefield developments of the war from the beginning. Correspondent Nick Schifrin is now reporting from Ukraine ahead of the war’s anniversary. We also compiled our coverage from the past year into a video here.

Here are some other highlights from our recent reporting:

• The current situation. To date, Russian forces control about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, in the east and the south. The focus of Russia’s latest offensive is in the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Both U.S. and Ukrainian officials have said what happens on the front in the next few months could help determine the fate of the war. Russian forces have suffered losses, with many estimates showing over 100,000 casualties.
• Close ties. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeals to the West for more assistance, Russia's Vladimir Putin has sought to deepen ties with China.
• Holding the frontline. In Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, we take a look at the Ukrainian tank brigades facing off against a larger Russian force. “We need new weaponry because these tanks are twice as old as I am,” said one 26-year-old junior sergeant of the 1st Tank Brigade.
• Modern warfare. How Ukrainian drone pilots are changing the course of the war against Russia.
• Less arms control. Russia suspended its participation in New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the U.S. and Russia. The decision “makes the world “more dangerous,” NATO’s secretary-general said.
• Where does that leave U.S.-Russia relations? Two experts weigh in.
• A war crimes investigation is underway. For the first time, the U.S. has labeled Russian actions in Ukraine as crimes against humanity.
• Human traffickers. Millions of people fleeing Russia’s war have sought refuge across Europe. While many refugees have received a warm welcome, their trying circumstances have also opened them up to sexual and labor exploitation.

SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

U.S. President Joe Biden’s surprise trip to Ukraine came at a critical point in the conflict, as fighting is expected to intensify in the coming weeks. Biden’s unannounced visit to Kyiv was a show of solidarity; the president vowed “unwavering support” for Ukraine.

• More assistance. In recent weeks, leaders from more than 50 countries discussed accelerating their assistance to Ukraine — namely more weaponry like tanks and ammunition, among other equipment.
• A key takeaway from our latest poll. Forty-two percent of Americans said they agree with the amount of U.S. support currently being provided to Ukraine, writes NewsHour’s Laura Santhanam.

A FINAL THOUGHT

A Green Beret who served tours as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan went to Ukraine last year to help fight Russian forces.
 
Former Staff Sergeant David Bramlette said he decided to go to Ukraine because he felt he could use his military skills in a conflict that’s “as clear-cut as it gets.”
 
“This is democracy in Europe we’re talking about,” said Bramlette, who led a team of volunteers and former soldiers for nearly 11 months.
 
As to how Ukrainian forces are able to hold firm in the face of a superpower, Bramlette said analysts and academics don’t fully account for the “Ukrainian resolve to resist their willpower to fight.”

“A lot of academics, a lot of people in government place too much emphasis on quantitative analysis — number of tubes, number of tanks, etc., number of soldiers — and don't place enough emphasis on qualitative factors of willpower,” which is harder to measure, he said.