Bridges in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Bridges have been a strategic and tactical aspect of the Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. As there are more than 23,000 rivers[1] and over 28,000 bridges in Ukraine,[2] several important events, including battles, blocked advances, political disputes, and the successes and failures of army units, have centered around the country’s bridges. The UK Ministry of Defense has said, "River crossing operations are likely to be amongst the most important determining factors in the course of the war".[3]

Upon the Russian invasion, Ukrainian forces destroyed or damaged bridges to slow Russian advances. Russian offensive operations were repeatedly undone by failed river crossings.[4]

As Russia began their retreat, Russian forces began to use large quantities of advanced high precision missiles to damage bridge infrastructure in Ukraine and slow down Ukrainian advances. By July 2022, 305 bridges had been damaged or destroyed.[5]

## Blocking river crossings

[edit]

### Irpin river

[edit]

Destroyed bridge at Irpin, 17 April 2022

South of Irpin on the north west outskirts of Kyiv, a Russian convoy, separated from its main force, was ambushed and destroyed on a bridge over the Irpin river, on 25 February 2022.

A few days after a battle in Bucha, a bridge which connected Irpin with Bucha to the north was destroyed by Ukraine. This resulted in Russian forces being blocked from advancing on Kyiv using that route. Before the Battle of Moshchun, the Moshchun Bridge was destroyed, blocking an alternate route near Hostomel to Kyiv.[3]

After continued Russian attempts to cross the Irpin using pontoon bridges Ukrainian forces flooded the area, making it impassable. Russian troops were forced to return to Belarus.[6]

The iconic bridge in Irpin over the Bucha River will remain as a war memorial, with a new bridge being constructed by the Turkish ONUR Group.[7]

### Dnipro river - Antonivka Bridges and Kakhovka Dam bridges

[edit]

The initial invasion in February 2022 included an attack from the direction of Crimea aiming for Kherson and the Dnipro river, crossed by the Antonivka Road Bridge, where fierce fighting took place for four days, before Russian forces took control of an intact bridge, allowing them to move swiftly further north, capturing Kherson.

The Kakhovka Dam is the other main crossing point of the Dnipro river. Located 60 km east of Kherson, it provides a 3.2 km road and rail link on top of the dam. Captured intact in February 2022, the road and rail infrastructure came under attack by Ukrainian forces in August and September 2022. Damage to the road and rail infrastructure of the dam from artillery blocked Russian trains and vehicles from using it to cross the river.[8]

On 19 July 2022 Ukraine sought to stop Russian vehicles using the Antonivka bridges, both road and rail, by attacking them with HIMARS rockets. The rail bridge was quickly damaged, however it took a week before the road bridge was sufficiently damaged to stop heavy traffic. Repaired within a month, further attacks by Ukrainian missiles again made the bridge unusable, resulting in Russia needing to construct a pontoon bridge from barges to supplement the ferries that were transporting vehicles across the river.[9]

The Antonivka road bridge in December 2022, after the Second Battle of Kherson

The Ukrainian counteroffensive in the autumn of 2022 resulted in Russia evacuating the area including Kherson, mainly via the pontoon bridge before Russia blew a 200m gap in the Antonivka Road Bridge and destroying the pontoon bridge, leaving Russian forces on the south eastern bank of the river. The Russians also blew up the supports of the roadway on the Kakhovka Dam on the 11th of November, whilst leaving the dam itself mainly intact.[10][11]

The failure of Ukraine to damage/destroy the bridges in February 2022 enabled Russia to advance north and capture the Kherson region. The ability of Ukraine to damage the bridges made it untenable for Russia to continue holding the northern area, including the city of Kherson, so Russia retreated. Russia's destruction of the bridges in November 2022 halted the Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south.

### Kuchurgan River - Rail connection to Transnistria

[edit]

A bridge on the rail line from Ukraine to Transnistria where it crossed the Kuchurhan River was damaged by Ukraine in March 2022 to block the possibility of Russia using rail transport to link with the Russian troops in Transnistria. [12]

## Damaging logistics routes

[edit]

Russian armed forces are dependent on rail links to supply them with heavy logistics, including ammunition, and to move troops around the country. Damage caused to rail lines can be quickly repaired, however, damage to rail bridges can disrupt supplies for weeks.[13]

### Bridges connecting Crimea

[edit]

#### Kerch Strait bridges

[edit]

The Kerch Strait road and rail bridge, constructed by Russia after their annexation of Crimea in 2014, is 19 km long and spans the Kerch Strait, between Russia and Crimea.

On 8 October 2022, an explosion collapsed a section on one side of the road into the sea and damaged the other road section. A train was passing the impact point and the explosion caused a fire on the train, the heat from the fire damaging the rail bridge.[14][15] Russia had to look to land routes for rail routes and ferries for road supplies heading to Crimea, with civilian as well as military supplies, until the bridge was partly reopened to road traffic, with the bridge fully repaired within 4 months.[16] The main aim of the attack was to disrupt Russian logistics.[17]

On 17 July 2023, a second attack took place, this time by sea drones, with two explosions that damaged the road bridge.[18] The aim of the attack was to damage the logistical capabilities of the bridge. It was reported that repair work was completed in mid October 2023.[19]

Russian concern at losing the rail connection to Crimea over the Kerch bridge has resulted in a new 370km railway line being built from Rostov-on-Don across southern Ukraine to Yakymivka near Melitopol,[20] in January 2024 a part completed railway bridge near Hranitne NE of Mariupol, on the route of the new track, was destroyed by Ukrainian missiles.[21] Concern also caused Russia to ship munitions by sea, the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk was loaded with munitions when it was hit by a missile at the Crimea port of Feodosia on 26 December 2023, the secondary explosion of the munitions destroying the ship.[22]

#### Chonhar bridges

[edit]

The Chonhar road bridge carries the Highway M18/E105 over the Chonhar Strait, connecting Crimea with the eastern Kherson area. Seized by Russia in 2014, it formed the de facto border until 2022. In June 2023 a Ukrainian missile hit the bridge, punching a hole through the surface, badly damaging it.[23][24] Russia's response was to direct traffic through Armiansk and Perekop and to build a pontoon bridge within 24 hours. It was struck a second time in early August 2023.[citation needed]

The Chonhar railway bridge at Syvash village, a few kilometres west of the road bridge, is the major rail connection from Crimea to the rest of Russian-occupied southern Ukraine. On 30 July 2023, the approach was struck, with both tracks damaged, by a Storm Shadow cruise missile fired by Ukraine.[25][26]

### Rail bridges

[edit]

A number of rail bridges have been damaged by sabotage, including a rail bridge on 3 July 2022 between Melitopol and Tokmac with a further rail bridge destroyed south west of Melitopol on 3 August 2022[5] and a third near Starobohdanivka north of Melitopol was damaged in November 2022 by Ukrainian defense forces.[27]

In addition to delaying logistics or forcing them onto a route that is vulnerable, troops need to be deployed to defend all rail bridges.

### Zatoka bridge

[edit]

The Zatoka bridge, on the coast west of Odesa, is the only direct land connection from Odesa to Romania.

Russian forces attacked the bridge due to its importance to export Ukrainian produce and import weapons and ammunition from the west. The bridge was attacked by Russia in April and May 2022 with artillery and then in July with high precision missiles.[28]

In August 2022, understanding the vulnerability of the Zatoka bridge, Ukraine decided to create an alternative land-based rail link with Romania by renovating an old disused line, the work was completed by Romania and Ukraine in January 2023[29]

Although still not repaired, the Zatoka bridge, which has a vertical lift system, was attacked again in February 2023 by Russia using a drone boat.[30]

### Building new bridges

[edit]

In June 2023 an agreement was reached to build a 641 m long two lane road bridge, with two safety lanes, cycle and pedestrian lanes across the Dniester River (Nistru River in Moldova) with a 667 m viaduct on the Ukrainian side to connect Cosăuţi, Moldova with Yampil in Ukraine, to be completed by 2025, with the aim of improving trade and logistics.[31][32]

In October 2023 it was agreed to build a bridge connecting Sighetu Marmației in Romania with Ukraine's Bila Tserkva, Zakarpattia Oblast. A 261m long bridge over the Tisza river, to be completed by December 2024, financed by Romania and the EU.[33]

## Creating river crossings

[edit]

Russian infantry fighting vehicles and troop carriers are amphibious. However, a bridge is needed for most heavier vehicles and logistics, especially where the water is deep, wide, or fast-moving.[34][35] Unless secured properly, pontoons can break free and drift down river.[36]

### Pontoon bridges

[edit]

#### Siversky Donets River

[edit]

Destroyed Russian floating bridge and vehicles near Bilohorivka on the Siversky Donets River

With Ukraine having destroyed the original bridges over the Siversky Donets, the Russian attempt at advancing by crossing the river in Eastern Ukraine in May 2022 required Russia to build a military pontoon bridge. Russia constructed several. One of these pontoons resulted in a concentration of Russian vehicles in a range of Ukrainian artillery. As soon as the bridge was damaged, more pontoons had to be brought up, and the resultant traffic jam was hit repeatedly by artillery. Ukraine claimed a battle group of over 70 military vehicles destroyed, together with around 500 troops killed, including the Russian colonel commanding the engineers.[37]

#### Inhulets river

[edit]

In September 2022, as part of the Kherson counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces bridged the Inhulets River in southern Ukraine. Pontoon bridges would often be destroyed in this attempt. A pontoon bridge would be built within three hours, and Russian artillery would destroy it within 24 hours, requiring another pontoon bridge to be made. This process was repeated throughout the offensive.[38]

## Bridges as political symbols in the war

[edit]

Crimean Bridge on a 2018 Russian postage stamp

The Crimean road bridge over the Kerch Strait was an important political symbol for Russia's claim on Crimea. Comments made after the second successful attack in July 2023 highlight the bridge as a vital symbol of the Russian claim to sovereignty over Crimea and Russia's failure, yet again, to defend the bridge.[39] In particular, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the bridge a legitimate military target for Ukraine that must be "neutralized" for "feeding the war with ammunition" and "militarizing the Crimean Peninsula."[40]

In retaliation to the first attack, Russia used cruise missiles to attack Ukrainian infrastructure, including a bridge in Kyiv, known as the ‘’glass bridge’’, a pedestrian bridge in a park. The bridge was damaged, but reopened 8 weeks later.[41]

As a result of the damage to the Antonivka Road Bridge, Russia withdrew its forces from Kherson on 11 November 2022.[42]

## Repairing bridges

[edit]

There are over 16,000 road bridges in Ukraine, 5,996 being on state roads.[43] As of June 2023, 346 road bridges and overpasses had been destroyed. 85 temporary crossings have been built. 41 bridges were rebuilt in 2022 with a further 40 planned for 2023.[43]

Roughly 10% of Ukraine's 28,000 bridges require some repair work.[2]

The UK government provided finance and links to technical expertise to repair bridges around Kyiv,[44] other countries have also provided funds and assistance.[45]

In October 2023 United24 completed their 19th bridge rebuild, with a bridge in the Mykolaiv Oblast across the Inhulets river.[46]

### North West of Kyiv

[edit]

Two rail bridges over the Irpin river were damaged on 5 March 2022 by Russian artillery and destroyed on 21 March 2022 in a collapse. The first bridge was repaired by 7 May 2022,[47] the second bridge was repaired by November 2022.[48]

Bridges supporting the main motorway west from Kyiv, the M06, were dropped where they crossed the Irpin river to close the route to Russian forces, a temporary detour for two weeks was followed by one span being repaired to allow transport vehicles to pass, before the second was repaired.[49]

By December 2023 four local community bridges in the Narodychi region had been restored, the last two taking 5 months and costing UAH 8 million..[50]

## Temporary bridges

[edit]

The Czech Republic was the first to supply temporary bridges to Ukraine, easy to transport, assemble and disassemble.[49] In July 2022 France announced it would supply Ukraine with 36 prefabricated, easily assembled, road and rail bridges that are 23 and 46 meters long.[5] Bridges have also come from Germany.

Pontoon bridges had been given to Ukraine by the Netherlands and the Czech Republic in 2023 which can be assembled as fast as 90 feet (27 meters) a minute.[51]

Germany has supplied Beaver bridge laying tanks, capable of bridging a gap of 60 feet (18 meters),[52] with the United States also providing armored bridge layers.[53] The bridge layers often being used to assist in crossing anti-tank ditches.

Russia has an MTU-72 (Mostoukladchik-72 \- (Bridge-Laying Vehicle-72)) armored bridge layer carrying a 20 meter long bridge. Russia's other older dry bridging system for narrower ditches/waterways is the TMM-3 (Tyazhelo Mekhniznrovanny Most \- (Heavy Mechanized Bridge)) a 10 meter long bridge carried by truck which can be linked to form a maximum of 40 meters.[1]

For wet crossings, Russia uses the PP-61 pontoon bridges (Pontonno-Mostovoy Park \- (Pontoon Bridge Park)) using 50 trucks to transport 12 BMK tugboats with 32 floating sections and 4 abutments. A newer system, the PP-2005 Floating Bridge [ru] where a 268 meter pontoon can carry 60 tons with shorter pontoons carrying greater loads and sections can be used as ferries.[1] Russia also has PMM-2M tracked amphibious bridging ferries based on a T-64 main battle tank chassis, capable of carrying 42.5 tons.[34]

After an overweight truck caused a bridge to collapse over the Teresva River in the Zakarpattia region of western Ukraine in July 2023, Ukraine used four sections of the TMM-3 bridge system to install an alternative route within two days.[54]

## See also

[edit]

* Modern history portal
* Russia portal
* Ukraine portal

* List of bridges in Ukraine
* Rail war in Russia (2022–present)
* Rail war in Belarus (2022–present)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Invasion of Ukraine, D+110 SITREP + River Crossing Operations (#218)". Retrieved 11 July 2023.
2. ^ a b "Oleksandr Kubrakov: 10% of bridge structures in Ukraine are in disrepair". 13 July 2023.
3. ^ a b "Build, destroy, repeat - battle over bridges and runways in Ukraine". 22 February 2023.
4. ^ "With Raids Across Dnipro River, Ukraine May Be Seeking New Front in War". The New York Times. 20 October 2023.
5. ^ a b c "War in Ukraine: The Railway monitoring". Retrieved 1 July 2023.
6. ^ "Ukraine flooded a village to save Kyiv. Residents are racing to clean up before winter". NPR. 26 September 2022.
7. ^ "Turkish builder to replace iconic bridge in Ukraine's Irpin". Daily Sabah. 24 June 2022.
8. ^ "Ukraine says it has taken out vital bridge in occupied Kherson". BBC News. 13 August 2022.
9. ^ "Ukraine Situation Report: HIMARS Knocks Out Strategic Rail Bridge Near Kherson". 1 August 2022.
10. ^ Santora, Marc; Lukinova, Anna (11 November 2022). "An explosion on a crucial bridge severed Kherson City's last major crossing". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 November 2022.(subscription required)
11. ^ "Russians destroy bridges and damage dam: satellite images of Kherson Oblast". 11 November 2022.
12. ^ "Ukraine blows up bridge to Transnistria after Tiraspol reasserts its independence". 7 March 2022.
13. ^ "A Railhead Too Far: The Strategic Role of Railroads during Russia's Invasion of Ukraine". 31 October 2022.
14. ^ "Rail bridge linking Crimea and Russia damaged in major explosion". 9 October 2022.
15. ^ "Crimea Bridge - Russia removes span of rail bridge as repairs begin". 7 March 2023.
16. ^ "Russia fully reopens Crimea Bridge on eve of anniversary". 23 February 2023.
17. ^ "Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister includes Crimean Bridge explosion in list of military victories. Kyiv previously denied involvement in the attack". 9 July 2023.
18. ^ "Russia blames new Crimea bridge attack on Ukraine". BBC. 17 July 2023.
19. ^ "Russia claims key Crimea bridge is fully repaired, but actually it remains limited and a huge 'security burden,' UK intel says". Business Insider. 19 October 2023.
20. ^ "Russia said to be building a railway to Crimea through Ukraine". 9 November 2023.
21. ^ "Ukrainian forces destroy partially built railway bridge near occupied Mariupol". 8 January 2024.
22. ^ "Ukraine war: Does attack on Russian ship make a difference?". 29 December 2023.
23. ^ "Bridge sitting on key Russian supply route near Crimea struck by missiles". Associated Press. 21 June 2023.
24. ^ "Chongar bridge strongly damaged, to stay closed for 15-20 days — acting governor". 23 June 2023.
25. ^ Hird, Karolina; Barros, George; Mappes, Grace; Clark, Mason. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 31, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
26. ^ "Ukraine Situation Report: Key Crimean Railway Bridge Targeted In Missile Strike". The Drive. 31 July 2023.
27. ^ "Railway Bridge Damaged In Zaporizhzhia Region, Russians Used It To Supply Troops". 28 November 2022.
28. ^ "WATCH: New footage emerges of Russian X-59MK2 missile strike on Zatoka bridge, Odessa". Euro Weekly News. 19 July 2022.
29. ^ "Ukrainian Railways launches new service to Romania". 18 January 2023.
30. ^ Kilner, James (11 February 2023). "Russia strikes key Odessa bridge with first use of drone boat". The Telegraph.
31. ^ "EU Support for Moldova's Roads Offers Lifeline For Ukraine". 10 July 2023.
32. ^ "Moldova Approved Bridge to Ukraine over Dniester". 31 July 2023.
33. ^ "Ukraine, Romania agree to build bridge on state border". 19 October 2023.
34. ^ a b "Russian deliberate river crossings Choreographing a water ballet" (PDF). 4 December 2019.
35. ^ "Russian tank pulled out of Desna River in Chernihiv region". 15 July 2023.
36. ^ "Pontoon bridge comes floating to Ukraine from Russia". 8 January 2024.
37. ^ "Ukraine inflicts huge losses on Russians during a failed river crossing, officials say". The Times of Israel. 14 May 2022.
38. ^ "For Ukraine, the fight is often a game of bridges". 10 September 2022.
39. ^ "Explosions Damage Crimea Bridge as Russia Blames Ukraine for Attack". 18 July 2023.
40. ^ Amran, Rachel (22 July 2023). "Zelensky: The Crimean Bridge must be neutralized". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
41. ^ "'Glass' pedestrian bridge in Kyiv reopens after being damaged by Russian missile attack". 17 December 2022.
42. ^ "Kherson biggest Russian loss since withdrawal from outside Kyiv". BBC News. 11 November 2022.
43. ^ a b "Reconstruction Agency plans to rebuild about 40 bridges this year". 29 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
44. ^ "UK Government backs £26.3 million equivalent loan for reconstruction of Kyiv bridges". 21 June 2023.
45. ^ "Estonia already allocated UAH 16M to restore bridge in Zhytomyr region". 12 July 2023.
46. ^ "THE LARGEST BRIDGE ACROSS THE INHULETS RIVER WAS OPENED IN MYKOLAIV OBLAST". 11 October 2023.
47. ^ "Railway bridge in Irpen to be restored before May 8". 13 April 2022.
48. ^ "Ukrzaliznytsia Repairs Second Irpin Railway Bridge Destroyed During Fighting". 23 November 2022.
49. ^ a b ""We can restore destroyed infrastructure in 4 years": interview with Ukraine's road deputy chief". Retrieved 21 October 2022.
50. ^ "Two bridges destroyed by hostilities restored in northern Zhytomyr region". 7 December 2023.
51. ^ "Ukraine's Pontoon Regiment Could Bridge A 750-Foot River In Eight Minutes". Forbes. 4 May 2023.
52. ^ "Germany to send Ukraine 16 bridge-laying tanks, adding to its arsenal of Western weapons, as it wages a new offensive against the Russian invasion". Business Insider. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
53. ^ "Ukraine's military to get tactical bridges as part of new U.S. $400M aid package". 3 March 2023.
54. ^ "In Zakarpattia, temporary crossing built to replace destroyed bridge over the Teresva River". 26 July 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Part of the Russo-Ukrainian War

Overview

General|

* Outline
* Timeline
* Prelude
* Feb – Apr 2022
* Apr – Aug 2022
* Aug – Nov 2022
* Nov 2022 – Jun 2023
* Jun – Aug 2023
* Sep – Nov 2023
* Dec 2023 – Mar 2024
* Apr – Jul 2024
* Aug – Dec 2024
* Jan 2025 – present
* Aerial warfare
* Defense lines
* Foreign fighters
* Information war
* Naval warfare
* Legality
* Map
* Order of battle
* Peace negotiations
* Ukraine's Peace Formula
* China peace proposal
* June 2024 peace summit
* Proposed no-fly zone
* Red lines
* Reparations
* Territorial control
* Women

Prelude|

* Reactions
* Disinformation
* Ukraine bioweapons conspiracy theory
* Ukraine and weapons of mass destruction
* 2021 Russia–United States summit
* 2021 Black Sea incident
* Belarus–European Union border crisis
* "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians"
* Crimea Platform
* Zapad 2021
* December 2021 ultimatum
* 2022 Ukraine cyberattacks
* Zametil 2022
* Union Resolve 2022
* Stanytsia Luhanska kindergarten bombing
* British–Polish–Ukrainian trilateral pact
* Evacuation of the Donetsk PR and Luhansk PR
* Mobilization in Donetsk PR and Luhansk PR
* "Address concerning the events in Ukraine"
* "On conducting a special military operation"

Background|

* Dissolution of the Soviet Union
* 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
* Annexation of Crimea
* reactions
* War in Donbas
* 2022 timeline
* Minsk agreements
* humanitarian situation
* international recognition of the Donetsk PR and Luhansk PR
* Putinism
* Foundations of Geopolitics
* Novorossiya
* Ruscism
* Russian irredentism
* Russian imperialism

Foreign
relations|

* Russia–Ukraine
* Belarus–Ukraine
* Belarus–Russia
* Russia–United States
* Ukraine–United States
* Russia–NATO
* Ukraine–NATO
* enlargement of NATO
* eastward expansion controversy in Russia
* open door policy

Military engagements

Southern
Ukraine|

* Snake Island campaign
* Siege of Mariupol
* Battle of Kherson
* Capture of Melitopol
* Battle of Mykolaiv
* Battle of Enerhodar
* Battle of Voznesensk
* Battle of Huliaipole
* Battle of Davydiv Brid
* Kherson counteroffensive
* Liberation of Kherson
* Dnieper campaign
* Destruction of the Kakhovka Dam

Eastern
Ukraine|

* Battle of Volnovakha
* Battle of Kharkiv
* Battle of Izium
* Battle of Rubizhne
* Battle of Popasna
* Battle of Marinka
* Battle of Donbas
* Battle of the Siverskyi Donets
* Battle of Sievierodonetsk
* Battle of Lysychansk
* Battle of Pisky
* Battle of Bakhmut
* Battle of Soledar
* Battle of Vuhledar
* Kharkiv counteroffensive
* Battle of Lyman (September–October 2022)
* Luhansk Oblast campaign
* Battle of Avdiivka
* Battle of Chasiv Yar
* Battle of Krasnohorivka
* Battle of Ocheretyne
* Battle of Toretsk
* Pokrovsk offensive
* Battle of Kurakhove

Northern
Ukraine|

* Battle of Antonov Airport
* Capture of Chernobyl
* Battle of Kyiv
* Battle of Hostomel
* Battle of Bucha
* Battle of Irpin
* Battle of Makariv
* Russian Kyiv convoy
* Battle of Moshchun
* Destruction of the Kozarovychi Dam
* Battle of Brovary
* Battle of Slavutych
* Battle of Sumy
* Siege of Chernihiv
* Northeastern border skirmishes

Russia|

* Bryansk Oblast raid
* Kremlin drone attack
* Moscow drone strikes
* 2023 Belgorod Oblast incursions
* 30 December 2023 Belgorod shelling
* February 2024 Belgorod missile strike
* May 2024 Belgorod missile strike
* March 2024 western Russia incursion
* 2024 Kursk offensive
* occupation
* Battles for Olgovskiy Forest
* Toropets depot explosions

Airstrikes
by city|

* Chernihiv strikes
* Dnipro strikes
* Ivano-Frankivsk strikes
* Kharkiv strikes
* Kherson strikes
* Khmelnytskyi strikes
* Kryvyi Rih strikes
* Kyiv strikes
* Lviv strikes
* Mykolaiv strikes
* Odesa strikes
* Rivne strikes
* Vinnytsia strikes
* Zaporizhzhia strikes
* Zhytomyr strikes

Airstrikes
on military
targets|

* Chuhuiv air base attack
* Millerovo air base attack
* Chornobaivka (Saky) attacks
* 7 March 2022 Mykolaiv military barracks attack
* Yavoriv military base attack
* 18 March 2022 Mykolaiv military quarters attack
* Berdiansk port attack
* Sinking of the Moskva
* Desna barracks airstrike
* Attack on Nova Kakhovka
* Crimea attacks
* Novofedorivka explosions
* Drone attack on the Sevastopol Naval Base
* Missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters
* Dyagilevo and Engels air bases attacks
* Makiivka military quarters shelling
* Machulishchy air base attack
* Zarichne barracks airstrike

Resistance|

| Russian-occupied Ukraine|

* Popular Resistance of Ukraine
* Berdiansk Partisan Army
* Yellow Ribbon
* Atesh

|

Belarus and Russia|

* Assassination of Vladlen Tatarsky
* Civic Council
* Irpin Declaration
* Killing of Darya Dugina
* National Republican Army
* Military commissariats arsons
* Ust-Ilimsk military commissariat shooting
* Black Bridge
* Rail war in Russia
* Stop the Wagons
* Combat Organization of Anarcho-Communists
* Rail war in Belarus
* Busly liaciać
* BYPOL
* Community of Railway Workers
* Cyber Partisans

Russian
occupations|

* Flags used in Russian-occupied Ukraine

Ongoing|

* Annexation referendums
* Annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts
* Elections in Russian-occupied Ukraine
* Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine
* Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol
* Donetsk Oblast
* Kharkiv Oblast
* Kherson Oblast
* Luhansk Oblast
* Mykolaiv Oblast
* Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Previous|

* Chernihiv Oblast
* Kyiv Oblast
* Odesa Oblast
* Sumy Oblast
* Zhytomyr Oblast

Potentially
related|

* Black Sea drone incident
* Mystery fires in Russia
* Nord Stream pipeline sabotage
* Transnistria attacks
* Zagreb Tu-141 crash

Other|

* 2022 Crimean Bridge explosion
* 2023 Crimean Bridge explosion
* Assassination attempts on Volodymyr Zelenskyy
* Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant drone strike
* Coup d'état attempt in Ukraine
* Bridges in the Russo-Ukrainian War
* Dragon drone
* Violations of non-combatant airspaces
* Missile explosion in Poland
* Operation Synytsia
* Ukraine and electronic warfare
* Use of long-range weapons by Ukraine in Russia
* 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive
* 2024 Ukrainian cyberattacks against Russia
* Wagner Group rebellion

War crimes

General|

* Accusations of genocide in Donbas
* Allegations of genocide of Ukrainians
* child abductions
* Attacks on hospitals
* Cluster munitions
* Incendiary weapons
* Landmines
* Russian filtration camps
* Russian mobile crematoriums
* Russian theft of Ukrainian grain
* Russian torture chambers
* Looting
* Sexual violence
* Mistreatment of prisoners of war

Attacks on
civilians|

* February 2022 Kharkiv cluster bombing
* Kharkiv government building airstrike
* 3 March Chernihiv bombing
* Irpin refugee column shelling
* Mariupol hospital airstrike
* Stara Krasnianka care house attack
* Mykolaiv cluster bombing
* March 2022 Donetsk attack
* 2022 Borodianka airstrikes
* Chernihiv breadline attack
* Mariupol theatre airstrike
* Kyiv shopping centre bombing
* Sumykhimprom ammonia leak
* March 2022 Kharkiv cluster bombing
* Mykolaiv government building missile strike
* Bucha massacre
* Kramatorsk railway station attack
* April 2022 Kharkiv cluster bombing
* Bilohorivka school bombing
* Shooting of Andrii Bohomaz
* Maisky Market attack
* Kremenchuk shopping mall attack
* Serhiivka missile strike
* Chasiv Yar missile strike
* Olenivka prison massacre
* Kharkiv dormitories missile strike
* Chaplyne railway station attack
* Izium mass graves
* September 2022 Donetsk attack
* Zaporizhzhia civilian convoy attack
* Kupiansk civilian convoy shelling
* Zaporizhzhia residential building airstrike
* Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
* 2023 Dnipro residential building airstrike
* Sloviansk airstrike
* Uman missile strike
* Kramatorsk restaurant missile strike
* Lyman cluster bombing
* 2023 Pokrovsk missile strike
* Chernihiv missile strike
* Kostiantynivka missile strike
* Hroza missile attack
* Volnovakha massacre
* December 2023 strikes
* 2024 Pokrovsk missile strike
* 2024 Donetsk attack
* Lysychansk missile strike
* 6 March 2024 Odesa strike
* March 2024 strikes
* May 2024 Kharkiv strikes
* 8 July 2024 strikes
* 2024 Kostiantynivka supermarket missile attack
* 26 August 2024 strikes
* September 2024 Poltava strike
* November 2024 strikes

Crimes
against
soldiers|

* Torture of Russian soldiers in Mala Rohan
* Torture and castration of a Ukrainian POW in Pryvillia
* Rape of Donetsk People's Republic soldiers by Kadyrovites
* Murder of Yevgeny Nuzhin
* Makiivka surrender incident
* Execution of Oleksandr Matsievskyi
* 2022 Ukrainian prisoner of war beheading

Legal cases|

* ICC investigation
* Arrest warrants
* ICJ court case
* Task Force on Accountability
* Universal jurisdiction
* Crime of aggression
* Criminal proceedings
* Vadim Shishimarin
* Alexander Bobikin and Alexander Ivanov
* Anton Cherednik

Reactions

States
and
official
entities|

| General|

* Sanctions
* people and organizations
* restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad Oblast
* Military aid
* European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine
* People's Bayraktar
* Signmyrocket.com
* Humanitarian aid
* Sanctioned yachts
* Relations with Russia

|

Ukraine|

* Application to NATO
* Be Brave Like Ukraine
* Brave1
* Bring Kids Back UA [uk]
* Ban on Russia-associated religious groups
* Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War
* Decolonization and derussification law
* Delta
* Destroyed Russian military equipment exhibition
* For Courage and Bravery (Ukraine)
* Grain From Ukraine
* Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
* Hero City
* I Want to Live
* International Legion and other foreign units
* Belarusian Volunteer Corps
* Terror Battalion
* Black Maple Company
* Canadian-Ukrainian Brigade
* Freedom of Russia Legion
* German Volunteer Corps
* Karelian National Battalion
* Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment
* Norman Brigade
* Pahonia Regiment
* Polish Volunteer Corps
* Romanian Battlegroup Getica
* Russian Volunteer Corps
* Separate Special Purpose Battalion
* Sibir Battalion
* Turan Battalion
* International Sponsors of War
* Forced confiscation law of Russian property [ru; uk]
* Look for Your Own
* Lukoil sanctions
* Martial law
* Mobilization
* Media Center Ukraine
* National Council for the Recovery of Ukraine from the War [uk]
* National Multi-Subject Test [uk]
* North Korea–Ukraine relations
* Points of Invincibility
* Recognition of Ichkeria
* Rescuer City
* Save Ukrainian Culture [uk]
* Syria–Ukraine relations
* Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra
* United24
* United News

Russia|

* highways in the annexed territories
* A290
* A291 "Tavrida"
* R260
* R280 "Novorossiya"
* 2022 Moscow rally
* 2023 Moscow rally
* 2022 Moscow Victory Day Parade
* 2023 Moscow Victory Day Parade
* 2024 Moscow Victory Day Parade
* 2023 Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly
* Blockade of Ukraine [ru]
* Bohdan Khmelnytsky Battalion
* Censorship in Russia [ru]
* Chechnya
* Pro-Ukrainian Chechen fighters
* Conmemorative Medal "Participant of a Special Military Operation" [ru]
* Conversations about Important Things
* Krasovsky case
* Legalization of parallel imports [ru]
* Manifesto of the South Russian People's Council
* Martial law
* Masha Moskalyova case
* Metropolis of Crimea
* Mikhail Simonov case
* Mobilization
* Recruitment of irregular forces [ru]
* Operation Doppelgänger
* Opinion polling [ru]
* Orthodox Christmas truce proposal
* Wagner Group–Ministry of Defense conflict
* Russian Orthodox clergymen appeal against war
* Salvation Committee for Peace and Order
* Special Coordinating Council
* Ukraine bioweapons conspiracy theory
* Unfriendly countries list
* War censorship laws
* We Are Together. Sports
* "What Russia Should Do with Ukraine"

United States|

* 2022 Joe Biden speech in Warsaw
* 2022 State of the Union Address
* Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022
* Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
* Disinformation Governance Board
* Executive Order 14071
* Pentagon document leaks
* Task Force KleptoCapture
* Ukraine Defense Contact Group
* Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act
* Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative

Other countries|

* Belarus
* Canada
* Canada–Ukraine authorization for emergency travel
* China
* Closer ties with Russia
* Chinese peace plan
* Hong Kong
* Croatia
* Denmark
* Danish European Union defence opt-out referendum
* Federated States of Micronesia
* Federated States of Micronesia–Russia relations [ru]
* France
* Mission Aigle
* Georgia
* Germany
* German Taurus controversy
* Taurus leak
* Zeitenwende speech
* Hungary
* India
* Operation Ganga
* Iran
* Closer ties with Russia
* Israel
* Operation Israel Guarantees
* Lithuania
* Moldova
* New Zealand
* Russia Sanctions Act
* North Korea
* Poland
* border crisis with Ukraine
* Syria [ru]
* Taiwan
* United Kingdom
* Economic Crime Act
* Homes for Ukraine
* Operation Interflex
* 2025 London Summit on Ukraine
* Coalition of the willing

United Nations|

* Emergency special session
* Resolution ES-11/1
* Resolution ES-11/2
* Resolution ES-11/3
* Resolution ES-11/4
* Resolution ES-11/5
* Resolution ES-11/6
* Resolution ES-11/7
* Security Council Resolution 2623
* Resolution A/RES/77/229
* Easter truce

International
organizations|

* Accession of Moldova to the EU
* Accession of Ukraine to the EU
* Brussels summit
* European Political Community
* 1st summit
* 2nd summit
* 3rd summit
* Madrid summit
* NATO virtual summit
* Operation Oscar
* Ramstein Air Base meeting
* EU–Ukraine Summit
* REPowerEU
* Steadfast Defender 2024
* SWIFT ban against Russian banks
* Ukraine Recovery Conference
* Versailles declaration
* 2023 Vilnius summit
* 15th BRICS summit
* 2024 Washington summit
* Weimar+

Other|

* Consecration of Russia
* F-16 training coalition
* Finland–NATO relations
* Finland–Russia border barrier
* Iron diplomacy
* Proposed Russian annexation of South Ossetia
* Recognition of Russia as a terrorist state
* Removal of monuments and memorials
* Streets renamed
* Ukraine Square, Oslo
* Serving heads of state and government that have visited Ukraine during the invasion
* Sweden–NATO relations
* Swedish anti-terrorism bill

Public|

| Protests|

* In Ukraine
* in Russian-occupied Ukraine
* demolition of monuments to Alexander Pushkin
* ArmWomenNow
* Ukrainian Artistic Front
* In Russia
* Angry patriots
* Club of Angry Patriots
* Anti-War Committee
* Suspicious deaths of Russian businesspeople
* Congress of People's Deputies
* Council of Mothers and Wives
* Feminist Anti-War Resistance
* Flower protests
* Marina Ovsyannikova
* Russian Action Committee
* North Caucasian protests
* 2022 Russian Far East protests
* State Duma initiative for charging Vladimir Putin of high treason
* White-blue-white flag
* In Belarus
* In China
* Great Translation Movement
* In Czech Republic
* Czech Republic First!

|

Companies|

* Address of the Russian Union of Rectors
* Boycott of Russia and Belarus
* "Do not buy Russian goods!"
* E.N.O.T. Corp.
* Igor Mangushev
* McDonald's in Russia
* Vkusno i tochka
* NashStore [ru]
* People's Satellite
* Starlink satellites
* Stop Bloody Energy
* Wagner Group
* Andrey Aleksandrovich Medvedev
* Death of Nemes Tarimo
* Yale CELI List of Companies

Technology|

* Anonymous and the invasion
* alerts.in.ua
* DDoS attacks on Romania
* DeepStateMap.Live
* IT Army of Ukraine
* Killnet
* Liveuamap
* Open-source intelligence
* peacenotwar
* Russian Asset Tracker
* Squad303 [pl]
* Ukraine Siren Alerts
* Wikipedia
* threat to block in Russia
* detention of Mark Bernstein

Spies|

* Diplomatic expulsions during the Russo-Ukrainian War
* Russian spies in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Other|

* Association of Azovstal Defenders' Families
* Black Sea Grain Initiative
* Collaboration with Russia
* We Are Together with Russia
* Concert for Ukraine
* Free Buryatia Foundation
* Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum
* Game4Ukraine
* Get Lost
* Global Tour for Peace
* Go by the Forest
* Guide to the Free World
* Mozart Group
* Olena Zelenska Foundation
* Open letter from Nobel laureates
* Pavel Sudoplatov Battalion
* Rubikus.HelpUA
* Ruslan Shostak Charitable Foundation
* Russia's War Crimes House
* Save Ukraine
* Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online
* Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation
* Spain letter bomb attacks
* Yermak-McFaul Expert Group on Russian Sanctions
* Pavel Filatyev
* True Russia
* Volos Declaration
* Wimbledon ban

Impact

Effects|

* Aircraft losses
* Casualties
* journalists killed
* Russian generals killed
* Economic impact
* Inflation surge
* 2022 Moldovan energy crisis
* protests
* 2025 Moldovan energy crisis
* Russia–EU gas dispute
* 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage
* Russian debt default
* 2022 Russian oil price cap
* 2022-2024 German economic crisis
* 2023 Russian oil products sanctions and price cap
* EU natural gas price cap
* Education
* End of the Whisky War
* Environmental impact
* European re-armament
* Eurovision Song Contest 2022
* Russia
* Ukraine
* Eurovision Song Contest 2023
* Food crises
* Impact on theatre [uk]
* List of notable deaths
* Lukoil oil transit dispute
* Nuclear power plants
* Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant crisis
* Nuclear risk
* Religion
* Russian emigration
* The Ark
* Ship losses
* Ukrainian cultural heritage
* art theft and looting
* damaged cultural sites
* Trauma
* Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline explosion
* Ukrainian energy crisis
* Violations of non-combatant airspaces
* Women

Human
rights|

* Humanitarian impact
* Ukrainian refugee crisis
* Sobieskiego 100
* UN Commission of Inquiry
* UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission

Terms and
phrases|

* "And now I will show you where the attack on Belarus was prepared from"
* "Anglo-Saxons"
* "Bavovna"
* "Grandpa in his bunker"
* "Good evening, we are from Ukraine"
* "Orc"
* "Putin khuylo!"
* "Khuy Voyne!"
* "Russia is here forever [uk]"
* "Russian warship, go fuck yourself"
* "Slava Ukraini!"
* "Special military operation"
* "To bomb Voronezh"
* "Strength is in truth"
* "Westsplaining"
* "Where have you been for eight years?"
* "Without you"

Popular
culture|

| Songs|

* "12"
* "Bakhmut Fortress"
* "Bayraktar"
* "Bilia topoli"
* "City of Mary"
* "Flowers of Minefields"
* "Generation Cancellation"
* "Generation Z"
* "I'm Russian"
* "Oyda"
* "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!"
* "Mama ŠČ!"
* "Oi u luzi chervona kalyna"
* "Slava Ukraini!"
* "Stefania"
* "Ukraine"
* "Crushed"

|

Films|

* 20 Days in Mariupol
* A Rising Fury
* Follow Me
* Intercepted
* Russians at War
* Turn in the Wound
* Ukraine on Fire 2 [uk]

Other|

* Babylon'13
* Back to the Cold War
* Borodianka cat [uk]
* Ghost of Kyiv
* Kherson watermelon
* Královec Region
* Madonna of Kyiv
* North Atlantic Fella Organization
* Newspeak in Russia [ru; uk]
* Patron
* "Putler"
* "Putinversteher"
* Raccoon of Kherson
* Saint Javelin
* Saint Mariuburg [ru; uk]
* Vasylkiv maiolica rooster
* Vladimir Putin's meeting table
* Walk of the Brave
* "Z" military symbol

Key people

Ukrainians|

* Volodymyr Zelenskyy
* speeches during the invasion
* visit to the United States
* visit to the United Kingdom
* visits to Europe
* Andriy Biletsky
* Andriy Yermak
* Denis Pushilin
* Denys Shmyhal
* Denys Kireyev
* Denys Monastyrsky
* Denys Prokopenko
* Iryna Venediktova
* Kyrylo Budanov
* Leonid Pasechnik
* Mykhailo Drapatyi
* Mykola Oleschuk
* Oleksandr Pavlyuk
* Oleksandr Syrskyi
* Oleksii Reznikov
* Oleksiy Danilov
* Oleksiy Neizhpapa
* Ruslan Khomchak
* Rustem Umerov
* Sergiy Kyslytsya
* Serhiy Shaptala
* Serhii Sternenko
* Valerii Zaluzhnyi
* Vasyl Malyuk
* Vitali Klitschko
* Yevhen Moisiuk

Russians|

* Vladimir Putin
* Aleksandr Dvornikov
* Aleksandr Lapin
* Aleksey Dyumin
* Aleksey Nagin
* Alexander Bortnikov
* Andrei Kolesnikov
* Andrei Sychevoi
* Andrey Belousov
* Andrey Vorobyov
* Dmitry Medvedev
* Gennady Zhidko
* Igor Kastyukevich
* Ivan Popov
* Mikhail Mishustin
* Maria Lvova-Belova
* Nikolai Patrushev
* Oleg Salyukov
* Oleg Tsokov
* Ramzan Kadyrov
* Roman Berdnikov
* Rustam Muradov
* Sergey Kobylash
* Sergey Lavrov
* Sergey Naryshkin
* Sergei Shoigu
* Sergey Surovikin
* Timur Ivanov
* Valery Gerasimov
* Viktor Sokolov
* Viktor Zolotov
* Vitaly Gerasimov
* Vyacheslav Gladkov
* Vyacheslav Volodin
* Yevgeny Prigozhin

Other|

* Alexander Lukashenko

Related

* 2023 North Korea–Russia summit
* 2024 Korochansky Ilyushin Il-76 crash
* 2025 Putin–Trump call
* Anti-drone mesh
* Anti-Russian sentiment
* Anti-Ukrainian sentiment
* Antonov An-225 Mriya
* Axis of Upheaval
* Azovstal Iron and Steel Works
* Belgorod accidental bombing
* Brovary helicopter crash
* Bryansk Oblast military aircraft crashes
* Claims of Vladimir Putin's incapacity and death
* Decolonization in Ukraine
* Decommunization in Ukraine
* Derussification in Ukraine
* Demolition of monuments to Alexander Pushkin in Ukraine
* Foreign leaders that have visited during the invasion
* Institute for the Study of War
* Irkutsk military aircraft crash
* Ivanovo Ilyushin Il-76 crash
* Kyivstar cyberattack [ru; uk]
* Lady R incident
* Nord Stream 2
* Proposed Russian annexation of Transnistria
* Punisher
* Russian nuclear weapons
* Sarmat
* Russian military presence in Transnistria
* Ryazan military aircraft crash
* Siberian wildfires
* Sinhury mid-air collision [uk; zh]
* Soloti military training ground shooting
* Soviet imagery
* Territorial Center of Recruitment and Social Support
* Turtle tank
* U-24 association
* Ukrainian-African Renaissance
* Ukrainian conscription crisis
* Western long-range weapons in Russia
* Ural Airlines Flight 1383
* Voronezh military aircraft crash
* "The Vladimir Putin Interview"
* Yeysk military aircraft crash
* Moldovan coup d'état attempt allegations
* 2023 visit by Joe Biden to Ukraine
* 2023 visit by Fumio Kishida to Ukraine
* 2023 visit by Xi Jinping to Russia
* 2023 visit by Yoon Suk Yeol to Ukraine
* Wagner Group plane crash
* Yaroslav Hunka scandal
* Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243

* Category

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template