The 13 key moments during war in Ukraine pictured as Russian invasion enters fourth year
Three years ago today, the world woke up to a new war in Europe, the first major conflict to engulf the continent since World War 2.
For over 1,000 days, Ukrainians have bravely faced invading troops, and the conflict that Vladimir Putin surely expected to last only for days has become a war of attrition.
While Russia doesn't share an official tally of its casualties, the Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces claims well above 860,000 Russian soldiers have either been killed or wounded in the past three years.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky shared a rare public estimate with US news outlet NBC, claiming more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and some 380,000 wounded since the invasion began. However, independent analysts believe the numbers could be higher.
The return to the White House of Donald Trump has quickly and dramatically changed the landscape, with the US President shifting Washington's position from one of unwavering support for Ukraine to outright attacks and criticism of Mr Zelensky.
While the outcome of the war remains uncertain, Daily Express has looked back at the past three years of conflict.
February 24, 2022: Russia begins its illegal invasion of Ukraine
In the early hours of February 24, 2022, Vladimir Putin confirmed the world's fears and announced to Russians the beginning of his "special military operation" in Ukraine. The Kremlin would continue to address the illegal conflict in this way three years on, with Russians facing prison for calling the invasion a "war". In his speech, Putin claimed the invasion was "necessary" and had the goal of dealing with "fundamental threats" against Russia.
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April 1, 2022: The world discovers the horrors of the Bucha massacre
Bucha, a city in the Kyiv region, fell into Russian hands on February 27, 2022. After a counter-attack launched by Ukraine, Kyiv forces forced the retreat of the Russian army from Bucha and entered the city on April 1, 2022. While reports of alleged war crimes by the hands of Russians had already emerged during the occupation, the return of Ukrainian officials to the area uncovered what Mr Zelensky branded a "genocide", and pictures of mass graves and bodies of tied up civilians started to circulate. Russia denies any allegations regarding what has become known as the Bucha massacre.
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June 30, 2022: Ukraine humiliates Russia and retakes Snake Island
One of the pivotal moments of the first months of the war was the return of Ukrainian troops to Snake Island, a small but strategically located island in the Black Sea. The area had gained international fame after, on the first day of the Russian invasion, the garrison in the area told Russians aboard the Moskva warship who were demanding their surrender via radio to "go f*** yourself".
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September 21, 2022: Putin announces partial mobilisation in Russia
Months into a war that the Kremlin likely expected to finish within days, Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilisation in Russia, placing his country's people and economy on a wartime footing. In the run up to this announcement, the Kremlin had denied there had been discussions regarding sending people to the frontline.
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March 17, 2023: The ICC issues an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and for Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova amid allegations of forced deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. This means Putin and Lvova-Belova face arrest when stepping into countries that signed the Rome Statue, which formally established the court. Only 42 nations around the world, including the US and Russia, aren't part of the ICC.
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