This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60506682

The article has changed 178 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 156 Version 157
Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia
(3 months later)
Fighting has been raging in Ukraine for two years since Russia's invasion, with Moscow's forces edging forwards in recent weeks after months of virtual stalemate. Fighting has raged in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian forces have made small gains in recent months but now Ukrainian forces have staged a counter-offensive by crossing the Russian border in the north-east.
Here are the latest developments: Here is a recap of recent significant events and the situation on the ground in Ukraine.
Russian forces have made advances north and north-east of Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine Ukraine sends units into Russia
Russian forces have made advances north and north-east of Kharkiv, the second biggest city in Ukraine Ukrainian troops launched a surprise attack across the border in early August, advancing up to 18 miles (30km) into the Russian region of Kursk.
Russia has also intensified attacks along the eastern front since April although its advances have been described as minor Almost 200,000 people were evacuated from border districts including Belovsky and Krasnaya Yaruga by the Russian government and Vladimir Putin condemned the Ukrainian offensive as a "major provocation".
Russia has also intensified attacks along the eastern front since April although its advances have been described as minor After a week, Ukraine's top commander claimed to control 1,000 sq km of Russian territory, although analysts suggested the true scale was smaller.
Russia advancing north of Kharkiv The acting governor of Kursk region, Alexei Smirnov, said 28 communities had fallen to Ukrainian forces, but Ukraine's president later put the number at 74.
Russian forces have crossed the international border to the north of Ukraine's second biggest city Kharkiv and have made what analysts are calling "tactically significant advances". The counter-offensive is seen partly as an attempt to force Russia to redeploy units from eastern Ukraine and relieve pressure on the beleaguered Ukrainian defences there, and partly as a bid to improve Ukraine's chances of a peace settlement.
US-based analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) say they have advanced in northern areas of the town of Vovchansk and appear to have taken control of Vovchansk Central District Hospital. They have also made small gains in the village of Starytsia and have advanced closer to the village of Lyptsi to the west. Russian incursion north of Kharkiv
Russia has intensified its attacks on the region following Friday's surprise incursions across the border, seizing several villages and settlements in one of the most significant ground attacks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. At the beginning of May 2024, Russian forces crossed the international border to the north of Ukraine's second-biggest city, Kharkiv. Several villages were seized and thousands of civilians fled.
Vovchansk, located 74km (45 miles) from Kharkiv, has been heavily bombed in recent days. While it is a significant town in the region, Vovchansk is not of specific military importance, though its capture would be a blow to Ukrainian morale. Russia's main offensive has long focused on the eastern Donetsk region, but this was one of the most significant ground assaults since the start of the war and further stretched Ukraine's frontline defences.
However, Ukrainian officials say they are stabilising the situation and that the tempo of Russian operations in the area is decreasing. The Russian push took place at the end of a four-month period when the US was not supplying weapons to Ukraine, due to a stalemate in the US Congress.
Thousands of civilians have fled towards Kharkiv and there are concerns among Ukrainian commanders about what could happen if Russian troops get within artillery-range of the city. The issue was finally resolved at the end of April, when the US passed a $61bn aid package to provide missiles, artillery and air-defence systems to the Ukrainian military.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) assessment is that Russia is "almost certainly attempting to divert Ukrainian resources away from other parts of the front line", but adds: "It is unlikely that Russia has built up sufficient combat power to take the city (Kharkiv) without diverting additional forces into the area." Ukrainian forces eventually held firm and even though the city of Kharkiv has come under repeated attack from glide bombs fired by Russian warplanes, it remains beyond the range of Russian artillery.
But BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale, who is in the area, says it will be hard to dislodge the Russian forces in the region and that there are believed to be about 30,000 more troops just over the border. Russia grinds forward in the east
Russian progress in the east The incursion north of Kharkiv was some distance from the main front line in the east where Russia has continued its offensive operations and been edging forwards since October 2023.
The incursion is some miles from the main front line to the east where Russia has continued its offensive operations and been edging forwards since October 2023. Eastern Ukraine has been contested territory since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The MoD noted that Russian attacks intensified further in April - up 17% from March - with more than three quarters on the areas around the towns of Avdiivka and Bakhmut. Russia's biggest advantage is manpower and it has shown a willingness to throw soldiers at Ukrainian positions to gain a few metres at time.
Russia had a notable success in the town of Avdiivka where Ukrainian troops withdrew in February after months of fighting. Russian forces are now in control of what remains of the town and pushing west. Around 1,200 Russian soldiers were being killed or wounded every day in May and June, the highest rate since the beginning of the war, according to Western officials.
Avdiivka, which would have been a possible gateway for Ukraine to reach the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, has been a battlefield town since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Meanwhile, hoping to help relieve its exhausted front-line troops, Ukraine has reduced the minimum age for conscription from 27 to 25.
Russia achieved a notable success in the town of Avdiivka where Ukrainian troops withdrew in February after months of fighting.
It marked the biggest change on the more than 1,000km-long (620-mile) front line since Russian troops seized the nearby town of Bakhmut in May 2023.
Had a Ukrainian counter-offensive been successful, Avdiivka had the potential to be a gateway for Ukraine to reach the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk, but that opportunity has now passed.
Almost all of Avdiivka's pre-war population of more than 30,000 people have left and the town itself is almost completely destroyed.Almost all of Avdiivka's pre-war population of more than 30,000 people have left and the town itself is almost completely destroyed.
Its fall marked the biggest change on the more than 1,000km-long (620-mile) front line since Russian troops seized the nearby town of Bakhmut in May 2023. Russian forces are now in control of what remains and continue to push west, with their sights set on the Ukrainian-held towns of Pokrovsk, and further north on Chasiv Yar, which is situated on high ground some 10km west of Bakhmut.
Battle for Bakhmut Areas around Bakhmut remain a flashpoint and have endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war.
Bakhmut itself remains a flashpoint and has endured some of the heaviest fighting of the war. Although Ukraine gained some ground in the surrounding areas over the summer, Russian forces have since made advances around the city.
However, although Ukraine gained some ground in the surrounding areas over the summer, Russian forces have since made advances around the city. The ISW reports that territory to the west and south of the town continues to change hands. Two and a half years of fighting
The MoD said attacks on Chasiv Yar, which is situated on high ground to the west of Bakhmut, rose by 200% from March to April and that Russia was probably trying to gain control of the town.
"Despite the substantial increase in attacks on this axis, Russia made only minor tactical gains in the area during April and almost certainly sustained heavy losses," the MoD added.
Two years of fighting
Russia's invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.Russia's invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.
Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine and had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv.Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine and had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv.
Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and they had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and they had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.
But they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.But they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.
Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.
By October 2022, the picture had changed dramatically and having failed to take Kyiv, Russia withdrew completely from the north. Since then, little has changed on the ground. By October 2022, the picture had changed dramatically and having failed to take Kyiv, Russia withdrew completely from the north. The following month, Ukrainian forces recaptured the southern city of Kherson.
Since then, the battle has mostly been in the east of Ukraine with Russian forces slowly gaining ground over many months, while losing at least 50,000 troops - and probably many more.
By Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Paul Sargeant, Tural Ahmedzade, Chris Clayton, Kady Wardell, Mark Bryson, Sana Dionysiou, Gerry Fletcher, Kate Gaynor, Filipa Silverio and Erwan RivaultBy Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Paul Sargeant, Tural Ahmedzade, Chris Clayton, Kady Wardell, Mark Bryson, Sana Dionysiou, Gerry Fletcher, Kate Gaynor, Filipa Silverio and Erwan Rivault
About these mapsAbout these maps
To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War, external with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, external. To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using updates from the UK Ministry of Defence, external and BBC research.To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War, external with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project, external. To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using updates from the UK Ministry of Defence, external and BBC research.
The situation in Ukraine is often fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.The situation in Ukraine is often fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
War in UkraineWar in Ukraine
Volodymyr ZelenskyVolodymyr Zelensky
RussiaRussia
Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin
UkraineUkraine