Ukraine marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion

A protester holds a banner to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of the war, near the Russian Embassy in Seoul [AP Photo]

It has been exactly four years since Russia launched its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, attacking the country from multiple directions.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special operation,» a campaign that many expected to be brief and to end with Kyiv›s capitulation.

Instead, European officials are traveling to the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday to show their support for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people, who are fighting on.

While Putin did not get the quick and overwhelming victory he had hoped for, the cost has been high on both sides. And as Europe’s biggest conflict enters its fifth year, there is no sign of any peace deal despite U.S. diplomatic efforts over the past year.

At least 200,000 Russian troops have died during Russia’s four-year invasion of Ukraine, independent media outlets reported.

Russian news outlet Mediazona, together with the BBC and a team of volunteers, has collected the names of 200,186 troops killed in the war by scouring news reports, social media and government websites.