Four years of russia’s full scale war against Ukraine. February 24, 2026
24/02/26, 03:00
The origins of Ukrainian statehood reach back to the era of the Kyiv state of the 9th–13th centuries, which already in the tenth century stood as a leading center of European culture and legal order. From the banks of the Dnipro spread traditions of literacy and governance, while in the remote northern marshlands the first settlements — which would later form the foundation of Muscovy — were only beginning to appear in the twelfth century.
The historical path of the Ukrainian people has always been defined by an uncompromising striving for freedom. In every century this determination manifested itself in the preservation of the native language and unique traditions. For centuries, the northern neighbor attempted to usurp another nation’s historical legacy and to dissolve Ukrainian identity within its imperial narrative. These efforts were met with steadfast and unbroken resistance. Ukrainians gathered their heritage drop by drop, preserving it in songs and in hidden manuscripts, holding freedom as their highest spiritual principle.
The events of 2014 — the occupation of Crimea and parts of Donbas — marked the beginning of an open assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty. In February 2022, this aggression escalated into a full-scale invasion. For four years, Ukraine has been engaged in a large-scale war of defense against a brutal aggressor. The initial plans to swiftly subjugate the country collapsed entirely. Ukraine’s Defense Forces have significantly restricted the enemy’s advance and conducted decisive operations at sea and in the air. The aggressor’s Black Sea fleet has lost a substantial portion of its combat capacity, and its aviation has suffered critical losses, drastically reducing its ability to carry out further attacks.
In this extremely difficult period, Ukraine deeply values the support of the international community. Systemic sanctions and asset seizures are weakening the aggressor’s economy. International partners assist in the rehabilitation of wounded defenders and in the return of prisoners of war and deported children. The recent winter became yet another trial, as energy workers restored infrastructure around the clock after relentless attacks.
An important pillar of resilience has been the National Day of Prayer, uniting people of different faiths in a shared spiritual pursuit of a just peace.
The price paid by Ukrainian families — the lives of their loved ones — is immeasurable. It demands decisive action from the world. Ukraine is not only defending its own freedom. It is defending the fundamental right of every nation to exist independently and without subjugation.