When you hear people talk about Russia invading Ukraine, the answer depends on whether they mean the 2014 land grab or the full‑scale war that started in 2022. This article pinpoints the exact dates of both phases and explains how a covert takeover of Crimea eight years earlier set the stage for the largest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Full‑scale invasion began: 24 February 2022 ·
Initial invasion (Crimea): February 2014 ·
Current conflict phase: 2022–present

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact number of Russian troops involved in the 2022 invasion
  • Future duration of the conflict
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Ongoing war with no ceasefire in sight; largest European conflict since WWII

Below is a snapshot of the key facts that frame the conflict.

Five key facts at a glance: the what, when, and who of the Russia‑Ukraine war.
Start of full‑scale war 24 February 2022
Conflict origin February 2014
Ukrainian capital Kyiv
Russian president Vladimir Putin
Ukrainian president (2022) Volodymyr Zelensky
Crimea annexed 18 March 2014 (United Nations Digital Library)
UN resolution on annexation 27 March 2014 – declared referendum invalid (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
Full

Jack George Carter Murray

About the author

Jack George Carter Murray

Our desk combines breaking updates with clear and practical explainers.