World News: OnPolitics: War in Ukraine reaches 2-month mark

Monday, April 25

Local civilians walk past a tank destroyed during heavy fighting in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

OnPolitics: War in Ukraine reaches 2-month mark

President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked war on Ukraine about two months ago. Here's a look at where the conflict now stands.

Worshippers light candles at the Saint Volodymyr's Cathedral during Orthodox Eastern celebrations in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 24, 2022.

Francisco Seco, AP

Greetings, OnPolitics readers!

Welcome to a special edition of OnPolitics.

It's been two months since President Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked war on Ukraine. Against the odds, Ukraine's military has held onto its capital, Kyiv, and other cities that were expected to fall within weeks or even days.

Ukraine's defiant president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, transformed himself from a politician mostly known for his previous career as a comedian and actor into a courageous wartime statesman – a "David" prepared to confront Russia's menacing "Goliath" in the name of freedom-loving, sovereign states everywhere.

The war has not yet spilled over into NATO countries, as was once feared, though boundaries may be tested as Russia launches a new offensive in eastern Ukraine after pulling its forces back from Kyiv.

Russia's assault on Ukraine has already unleashed horrific consequences: Millions of Ukrainians have fled their homeland, attacks have leveled buildings and obliterated neighborhoods across Ukraine and thousands of civilians have been killed.

Russia, meanwhile, is increasingly isolated amid a batch of international sanctions and an outpouring of global condemnation.Those not prepared to spout Putin's false claims about the war risk beatings, arrest and jail.

Observers disagree over how long the war will last. Some believe it could grind on through next year, while others predict it may be over much sooner.

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Stories from inside the war:

•	Ready for an onslaught: USA TODAY reporters' firsthand account of war preparations in Lviv, the site of Ukraine's potential alternative capital if Russian troops captured Kyiv.
•	Evacuation drills in Odesa: The port city along Ukraine's southern Black Sea coast has become a safe haven for some who fled besieged Mariupol, but air raid sirens are a constant reminder of the danger.
•	Russian protesters risk arrest: Massive anti-war demonstrations in Russia persisted despite the Kremlin's crackdown on protesters.
•	'Nuclear terrorism': Radiation is far from the only environmental problem facing Ukraine as it approaches a third month of war.

Stories from Ukrainian refugees:

•	'Bombs, bombs, bombs': Ukrainian refugees raced to Poland during the first days of the war ahead of heavy shelling from Russian troops.
•	Lives left behind: Millions of people who have fled Ukraine were forced to carry only their most prized possessions and leave everything else behind.
•	'We don't scare': Tired of running, some Ukrainian refugees chose to return home despite Russia's attacks.
•	76 survivors: Ukrainians from different walks of life take the same convoy to safer territory.
•	Flood of refugees slows: The number of refugees arriving at the Polish border dropped by about 100,000 near the end of March compared to the start of the war.
•	Moldova overwhelmed: An estimated 350,000 Ukrainian refugees entered one of Europe's poorest countries near the end of March.
•	Starting over: Millions of refugees try to create new lives in countries throughout Western Europe.

Military presence in Ukraine:

•	How much aid has the US given Ukraine? Over the last nine months, the Biden administration has approved billions in military assistance – including anti-aircraft systems and Javelin missiles - to help Ukraine stop Russia's brutal invasion.
•	Key guide to military weapons: As fighting continues across Ukraine, the world has been getting a closer look at both countries' weaponry, how deadly it can be, and how quickly expensive equipment can be destroyed.
•	Mapping Russia's invasion: See where Russia's forces are moving within Ukraine's borders and check back for the latest visual explanations and annotated maps.
•	Zelenskyy meets with top officials: Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised more military aid to Ukraine during their meeting with Zelenskyy in Kyiv.