Introduction
Key messages
National Day of Prayer
The term “War for Independence of Ukraine”
History of the Unconquered:
2014. February 19. The beginning of the War for Independence of Ukraine
2022. February 24. Full-scale invasion
2023–2025. Main combat operations within the framework of the third strategic defense operation.
Thematic materials of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance
Introduction
In February 2014, the modern Russian-Ukrainian war began - the War for Independence of Ukraine. Then, 12 years ago, the Russian Federation occupied the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as certain areas of Donetsk, Luhansk and Kherson regions. Until February 24, 2022, the main events of the war, with varying intensity of hostilities, took place in the east of our country. Although the confrontation with Russian hybrid aggression took place not only on the front line, but also throughout the territory of Ukraine.
Russia unleashed an imperialist - aggressive - and existential war against Ukraine, aimed not only at seizing territory, but also at destroying Ukrainian statehood, our national identity, and committing genocide against the Ukrainian people. The full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022 was a new stage in the war that began in 2014. The resistance to aggression after February 24, 2022 consolidated Ukrainians.
Key messages
The War for Independence of Ukraine is a struggle for the state independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine against the aggression of the Russian Federation, which began on February 19, 2014.
The war is a consequence of the consistent Russian imperial policy aimed at denying and destroying Ukrainian statehood and the identity of the Ukrainian people, including the temporary occupation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol; countering aggression by conducting an anti-terrorist operation, implementing measures to ensure national security and defense, repelling and deterring the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions; implementing measures necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine, protect the security of the population and the interests of the state in connection with the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Since 2014, Ukraine has been waging a just war to preserve its independence, for the right to a free European and Euro-Atlantic choice, for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Until February 24, 2022, the main military actions did not go beyond the east of our country. For eight years, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with volunteer formations and volunteers, effectively restrained the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, liberating most of the territories it had captured at that time. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the entire territory of Ukraine.
The war in and for Ukraine did not start suddenly – in latent and hybrid forms, it has been going on for all the years of our independence. The full-scale attack was another attempt by the Russian Federation to break Ukraine, to turn a sovereign state into a simulacrum, and its people into a «population» similar to the Russian one.
Ukrainians have persevered, and our army continues to prove that in many respects it is a benchmark for conducting military affairs in conditions of confrontation with an aggressor who is numerically and resource-superior. Thus, the Armed Forces of Ukraine thwarted the attempts of the Russian occupiers to gain dominance in the airspace of Ukraine, which is why the enemy resorts to the use of so-called CABs. Ukraine managed to inflict heavy defeats on the enemy on the Black Sea, expel its Black Sea Fleet from Crimea and drive it to Novorossiysk, and ensure maritime trade communication with the world. It was Ukraine that opened the so-called drone stage of the war in 2024–2025. Now a significant part of the occupiers and their combat equipment is destroyed precisely by unmanned aerial vehicles. They also perform reconnaissance and logistical functions. Currently, Ukraine is increasing the production of ground robotic complexes (GRC), which are becoming an important part of the technological advantage on the battlefield, performing combat, reconnaissance, logistics, and evacuation tasks.
The war did not spare any family, it touched everyone. And everyone goes through this ordeal differently. But what is common to many is the desire for victory, the desire to destroy the enemy, to stand firm and maintain independence. This motivates action and mobilizes efforts.
The war has hardened and united us. Today we are united by the memory of the dead, common pain and common responsibility, the desire to avenge all those killed and tortured by the racists. To survive, we have only one way out - victory.
In the most difficult times of our history, Ukrainians united to repel the enemy, en masse rose to defend their native land. Our readiness to resist is a decisive guarantee of victory.
Thousands of Ukrainians are volunteering. They have given everyone else a chance to prepare and find their place in this war. But we will be able to win only through the joint efforts of all Ukrainians. We have this chance and we have no right to waste it.
The heroic resistance of Ukrainians is not only a struggle for the physical survival of the Ukrainian people and the freedom of the country. In this war, Ukraine defends its right to exist, national identity, European choice and values. Ukrainians shed blood for a free, democratic Europe. And today, as a result of the military aggression of the Russian Federation, unfortunately, Ukraine has not only the Heavenly Hundred, but also an entire Heavenly Army.
But Ukrainians persevered and proved their ability to defeat Russian military aggression. Today, Ukraine is holding it back thanks to efforts on the military and information fronts, as well as international assistance. But above all, we are grateful to our courageous and steadfast defenders from the Security and Defense Forces.
It is worth realizing that the threat level remains high. The enemy does not intend to stop, does not take into account its own losses. Therefore, we have no right to allow the aggressor to undermine our unity, readiness and ability to resist. Let us preserve the spirit of freedom and solidarity.
National Day of Prayer
The Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine dated February 12, 2025 No. 4243-IX established the National Day of Prayer.
In accordance with the Action Plan for the Celebration of the National Day of Prayer, approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated October 22, 2025 No. 1157-r, in all settlements of Ukraine, foreign diplomatic institutions with the participation of the Ukrainian public, ceremonies of paying tribute and gratitude to all who laid down their lives defending the freedom and independence of Ukraine should be held every year on February 24, with the involvement of representatives of religious organizations - memorial events in honor of the defenders of Ukraine, solemn prayers for Ukraine and other religious events. In general secondary education institutions and cultural institutions, informational and educational, national-patriotic thematic meetings, conversations, scientific conferences, seminars, round tables on the issues of the full-scale armed invasion of the Russian Federation, on the importance of preserving spiritual and moral values, the unity of the Ukrainian people, taking into account the right to freedom of conscience and in accordance with the national traditions of Ukraine, will be organized.
These events are designed to contribute to the preservation of spiritual heritage, strengthening the patriotic spirit, and consolidating Ukrainian society in a joint prayer for the victory and restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The term “War for Independence of Ukraine”
On August 21, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law "On the Principles of the State Policy of Memory of the Ukrainian People", in the first section of Article 1 of which the name of the modern war with Russia is fixed - the War for the Independence of Ukraine. Fixing the official name of the war with the Russian Federation in the context of the state policy of memory is important for many reasons, in particular:
– the use of a single term to refer to war serves as a unifying factor in society around the issue of remembering the participants, victims, and events of war;
– the term fixes the date of the beginning of the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine – February 19, 2014, which is extremely important given the perception of the history of the war in society;
– this definition clearly and comprehensively shows that, defending itself from Russian aggression, Ukraine defends territorial integrity, sovereignty, and inviolability – attributes of state independence.
History of the Unconquered
2014. February 19. The beginning of the War for Independence of Ukraine
February 19, 2014, was designated as the date of the beginning of the War for Independence of Ukraine by the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Regulation of the Legal Regime on the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine.” On this day, the Russian Federation occupied the first oil and gas production facilities within the continental shelf of Ukraine.
On February 20, 2014, the Russian Federation began its occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
In March, the aggressor began to destabilize the situation in the southern regions. Led by Russian special services, participants in the “anti-Maidan” in Donetsk, Dnipro, Odessa, Kherson, Zaporizhia, and Kharkiv gathered rallies and called for the seizure of regional state administrations. At the same time, mass actions in defense of the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine swept through many cities - Sumy, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Poltava, and Mykolaiv.
In early April, enemy special services began implementing the «Novorossiya» plan and initiated another wave of destabilization. Patriotic Ukrainians desperately resisted the offensive of the «Russian Spring.» And it was finally thwarted by the people of Odessa on May 2, 2014.
According to the Security Service of Ukraine, pro-Russian actions in Odessa in the winter-spring of 2014 were inspired by Russia - local separatist leaders received direct instructions from supervisors in Moscow to destabilize the situation. Thus, on March 9, in response to the decision of the Odessa Regional Council, pro-Russian forces set up a tent camp on Kulikovo Field, where they held rallies calling on the Russian Federation to send troops into Ukraine. Russian citizens were among the organizers of the actions.
On May 2, 2014, a football match was to be held in Odessa between Odessa's Chornomorets and Kharkiv's Metalist. Patriotic activists planned to hold another Peace March before the game, this time with the Chornomorets fan club. Pro-Russian protesters announced the mobilization of supporters. So, when the column of Peace March participants set off from Cathedral Square, people from Kulikovo Field blocked their way. Clashes broke out on Gretska Street. Six Odessans, including the centurion of the Right Sector, lawyer Igor Ivanov, were shot dead by pro-Russian militants right in the city center.
Local businessmen, restaurateurs, and passersby who found themselves in the epicenter of the events supported the participants of the Peace March. To stop the armed militants, they began to erect barricades from tables and chairs of street cafes and garbage cans. Cobblestones became "bullets", and gasoline from parked cars was used for "Molotov cocktails.".
Despite the fact that the attackers had traumatic and firearms, as well as the loyal attitude of the police, after several hours of intense street confrontation, their strength was exhausted, they began to flee and barricade themselves in the House of Trade Unions near Kulikovo Field. From the roof and windows of the building, they opened «fire» at Ukrainian activists with «Molotov cocktails» and stones. Molotov cocktails and paving stones also flew into the premises where the pro-Russian forces were camped.
Soon a fire broke out on the stairs of the Trade Union Building. The circumstances of its occurrence have not yet been clarified. The synthetic material under the stairs began to smolder. Toxic smoke filled the entire building, and the temperature exceeded all critical indicators. Many people died from carbon monoxide poisoning and from falls from a height. In total, 48 people from both sides became victims of the confrontation, and more than 200 people were injured.
2022. February 24. Full-scale invasion
On February 24, 2022, the Russians began an open, armed, full-scale invasion of Ukraine - Vladimir Putin announced the start of the so-called SVO - a special military operation aimed at the "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine. Within minutes, Russian missiles from the territory of Belarus and temporarily occupied Crimea attacked Ukrainian airfields and military facilities throughout Ukraine. The war, launched by the Russian Federation in 2014, entered a new acute phase.
The Russians were counting on a lightning-fast takeover of Ukraine, as they were convinced that Ukrainians were waiting for the Russians with bread and salt. But in fact, from the first hours of the invasion, the aggressor's army met fierce resistance not only from the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard, but also from ordinary citizens united in territorial defense units, volunteer formations of territorial communities, and volunteer organizations.
In the first months of the war, the world was amazed by the facts when residents of cities in Kharkiv or Chernihiv regions took to the streets and squares, stopping Russian military equipment without weapons. When protests under Ukrainian flags did not stop for more than a month in occupied Kherson, Energodar, and Melitopol. When people from Kyiv or Odessa collected bottles and filled them with Molotov cocktails. When people captured occupiers, armored vehicles, and weapons with their bare hands and handed them over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There are many such examples of struggle and heroism of Ukrainian civilians.
In all cities, lines of experienced soldiers, reservists, and ordinary men and women, often quite young, who wanted to defend their homeland, formed in front of military registration and enlistment offices.
At the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Russian Federation threw all its forces into a lightning-fast capture of Kyiv. The Russian ground forces were to quickly advance through regional centers from the south, north-east and east and approach the capital. The occupier planned to take it in no more than 3–5 days.
Fierce fighting began in the Kyiv region on the first day of the full-scale invasion. The aggressor tried to land troops at the Gostomel airfield and capture Kyiv with the support of heavy armored vehicles and artillery that entered through the Chernobyl zone. This column of Russian equipment reached Bucha in 3 days, but did not advance further. The stubborn resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense thwarted the intentions of the Russian Federation. Due to the futility of attempts to break through to Kyiv, at the end of March the Russian command decided to withdraw troops from the Kyiv region.
In the Chernihiv region, the main logistical artery was to be the Novi Yarylovychi–Chernihiv highway, from where the means of warfare would be transported to Kyiv by rail and highway across the Desna River. The resistance of Ukrainians in the Chernihiv region – both military and local residents – thwarted all the enemy’s plans.
The first to be hit by the Russians in the Chernihiv region was the village of Dniprovske on the border with Belarus, as well as the border posts "Novi Yarylovychi", "Gremyach", "Senkivka", the airfield in Nizhyn, the training building of the 1st separate tank Siverskyi brigade in Honcharivske. The enemy group "Center" entered from the side of Belarus through Dobryanka, Gorodnya in the direction of Ripok, Mykhailo-Kotsiubynskyi, Shestovitsa to Chernihiv. By noon on February 24, the invaders entered Semenivka, Gorodnya, Sedniv, Novgorod-Siverskyi. The largest column of enemy equipment stretched for 34 kilometers.
On the same day, Ukrainian artillery destroyed two advanced columns of Russians 15 kilometers from Chernihiv in the Rivnopillya region, which stopped the offensive and allowed the defenders to take up positions on the heights near Novoselivka. Bloody battles in this area continued until the end of March. It was extremely important to hold the heights - otherwise Chernihiv would have been in the Russians' hands. Also of strategic importance was the Pivtsi airfield in the north of Chernihiv. In the first days of the full-scale offensive, the fighters of the National Guard and the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to hold this location.
On February 25, Ukrainian soldiers defeated a column of Russian equipment in Horodna, 50 kilometers from the regional center. Residents of villages and towns also came out against Russian tanks with their bare hands. Emotional videos from Bakhmach, Koryukivka, and Horodna were circulating on social networks, where people tried to stop enemy equipment. Locals reported its movements and locations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Chernihiv residents, preparing for defense and street fighting, built barricades and made Molotov cocktails.
The ring of enemy troops around Chernihiv was tightening. In the end, the only gap that connected the regional center with the «big land» remained the village of Kolychivka south of Chernihiv. From here, a direct road led to the city via a bridge over the Desna River. This bridge was used to evacuate civilians, bring in humanitarian aid and military ammunition from Kyiv. Having captured Kolychivka, the Russians could storm Chernihiv.
Having been repulsed in Kolychivka, the Russians stormed the neighboring village of Lukashivka, which nevertheless fell under temporary occupation. Enemy aircraft attacked Chernihiv several times a day. The critical moment was the destruction by the enemy of the last automobile bridge across the Desna on March 23. The city was on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe.
At the end of March, the blitzkrieg finally failed. Russian troops concentrated in Eastern Ukraine. The northern fortress held out, drawing significant forces of the Russian army, which never reached Kyiv from there. On March 28, they began to retreat, and by April 2, they had mostly crossed the state border.
In Sumy region, the first to resist the enemy were local residents and teroboron – with Molotov cocktails and small arms, and in some places they stopped columns of Russian equipment unarmed. «Let us not have either the LPR or the DPR, and let there not be a SPR. We have one free Ukraine. We do not want Russia. We did not invite it here, we did not ask for it. And now we will treat it with [Molotov] cocktails,» said local resident to the correspondent of "Social: Sumy" on March 1, 2022. The massive resistance of the local population and the coordination of territorial defense contributed to the successful actions of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and the fact that from the first days of the full-scale invasion, the enemy suffered significant losses and had problems with the supply of ammunition, fuel, and logistics in general. The complex of these factors forced the occupiers to retreat from the Sumy region.
In September–December 2022, the Defense Forces of Ukraine successfully conducted 2 strategic offensive operations - Kharkiv and Kherson.
The offensive operation in the Kharkiv region began on September 6. Its main blow was aimed at the main logistical centers of the occupiers - Balaklia, Kupyansk and Izyum. Taken by surprise, the enemy units fled in panic, leaving behind equipment and ammunition worth hundreds of millions of US dollars. Only in mid-October did the enemy manage to gain a foothold on the Svatove–Kreminna line. Ukrainians liberated up to 500 settlements.
In the southeastern direction, by September 23, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine reached the administrative border with the Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions and began to create a bridgehead for advancement. In November, they reached the right bank of the Dnipro River, while the Rashists retreated to the left bank. Thanks to the successful conduct of this operation, Ukraine liberated from the invaders more than 200 settlements on the right bank of the Kherson region and the Mykolaiv region, and on November 11, the city of Kherson. Thousands of Ukrainians who remained in the city greeted their troops with Ukrainian flags.
Throughout the nine months of the occupation of the Kherson region, the civil resistance movement "Yellow Ribbon" operated in uncontrolled territories. It continues to carry out partisan actions in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and in Crimea.
2023–2025. Main combat operations within the framework of the third strategic defense operation
In 2023–2024, our troops switched to strategic defense, restraining the enemy in the Kupyansky, Lymansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdiivsky and Novopavlivsky directions. Defensive battles for Bakhmut, Vugledar, Belogorivka, Pavlovka also continued. Inflicting significant losses to the enemy in manpower and equipment, depleting reserves and undermining its offensive potential. In the fall of 2023, Ukrainian forces crossed the Dnieper and created a bridgehead in the Krynok area, which became an important local victory. And the main success was the naval operations that forced Russia to relocate combat-ready ships of the Black Sea Fleet from occupied Sevastopol to Novorossiysk. Also during this period, Ukrainian long-range drones inflicted significant blows on oil refineries and fuel bases in the deep rear of the Russian Federation and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
According to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, in 2025 the Defense Forces of Ukraine conducted three offensive operations: in the Dobropil direction and two on the territory of the Russian Federation - in the Belgorod and Kursk regions. These actions thwarted the enemy's plans to seize the Donetsk region and create a so-called buffer zone.
In addition, on June 1, 2025, the Security Service of Ukraine conducted a unique special operation “Web” – the simultaneous destruction in three time zones of four military airfields in the rear of the Russian Federation: “Belaya” (Irkutsk region), “Dyagilevo” (Ryazan region), “Olenya” (Murmansk region) and “Ivanovo” (Ivanovsk region). Thanks to the operation, it was possible to simultaneously destroy the largest number of enemy aircraft. According to Vasyl Malyuk (at that time, the Head of the SBU), our drones destroyed 41 Russian strategic bombers, including the A-50, Tu-95, Tu-22 M3 and the supersonic Tu-160.
Thematic materials of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance
The Virtual Museum of Russian Aggression is a platform where you can read a detailed chronicle of events: https://surl.li/ecqjbz
Interactive map: https://surl.li/evmoov
Liberated regions: materials for the anniversary of de-occupation: https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/vyzvoleni-regiony-materialy-do-richnyci-deokupaciyi
Series of materials Russo-Ukrainian War: Historical Context: https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/rosiysko-ukrayinska-viyna-istorychnyy-kontekst
A collection of collected testimonies of participants and eyewitnesses of the modern war from the project "Oral History of the Russian-Ukrainian War": https://uinp.gov.ua/usna-istoriya/ato-usna-istoriya
«We endured – we will win!» – information materials on the anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine:
https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/vchytelyam/metodychni-rekomendaciyi/informaciyni-materialy-do-10-oyi-richnyci-vid-pochatku-rosiysko-ukrayinskoyi-viyny, as well as the corresponding presentation:
https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/vchytelyam/prezentaciyi/vystoyaly-peremozhemo-do-richnyci-povnomasshtabnogo-vtorgnennya-rf-v-ukrayinu
Information materials for the 10th anniversary of the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war:
https://uinp.gov.ua/informaciyni-materialy/vchytelyam/metodychni-rekomendaciyi/informaciyni-materialy-do-10-oyi-richnyci-vid-pochatku-rosiysko-ukrayinskoyi-viyny
Exhibitions:
«"Heirs of Freedom: The Ukrainian Army Through the Centuries"»
«"Church racism"»
https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-cerkovnyy-rashyzm
«"Ukraine. War in Europe":
https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-ukrayina-viyna-v-yevropi
«"Each of us is a warrior":
https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-kozhen-iz-nas-voyin
«"Racism is...":
https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-rashyzm-ce
«"Wipe off the face of the earth":
https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavky-sterti-z-lycya-zemli
«"Our Mariupol": https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-nash-mariupol
«"10 Years of Aggression - 10 Years of Resistance": https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/vystavka-10-rokiv-agresiyi-10-rokiv-sprotyvu
«"Speech murder is a component of racism": https://uinp.gov.ua/vystavkovi-proekty/movovbyvstvo-skladova-rashyzmu
Edition:
«"Without rotation": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/bez-rotaciyi
«"Our Mariupol": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/broshura-nash-mariupol
«"Testimony about the war. Chernihiv and Gorodnyan communities": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/svidchennya-pro-viynu-chernigivska-ta-gorodnyanska-gromady
«"Warriors of the Dnieper: values, motivations, meanings": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/voyiny-dnipra-cinnosti-motyvaciyi-smysly
«"Girls cut their braids": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/divchata-zrizayut-kosy-knyga-pro-zhinok-na-viyni
«"Girls cutting their locks" in English: https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/divchata-zrizayut-kosy-angliyskoyu-movoyu-girls-cutting-their-locks
«"Volunteers: The Power of the Carefree": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/volontery-syla-nebayduzhyh
«"Chaplains. In the service of God and Ukraine": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/kapelany-na-sluzhbi-bogu-i-ukrayini
«"2014: The Beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian War": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/broshura-2014-pochatok-rosiysko-ukrayinskoyi-viyny
«"People of the Gray Zone. Witnesses of the Russian Annexation of Crimea in 2014": https://uinp.gov.ua/elektronni-vydannya/lyudy-siroyi-zony-svidky-rosiyskoyi-aneksiyi-krymu-2014-roku
Video materials:
«"Heroes of Ukraine. South" - interviews with servicemen awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine: http://surl.li/nxyxbc
«"Forever in the ranks. Glory and Honor": http://surl.li/nxyxbc
«"Cossack Roots of Donetsk and Luhansk Regions": http://surl.li/ahcvts
«"Fire and Art: A Saga of Heroes": http://surl.li/nyqafu
«"Voices of the Revolution of Dignity": http://surl.li/sewpjy
The Unconquered series: http://surl.li/ungqpw
Series of short documentary films "Women Who Died for Ukraine": http://surl.li/fbmagd
«"Stories of War Places" - video recording of memories: http://surl.li/gtwaba
A series of banners about the first year of the war: http://surl.li/rzkjon
Project «Dialogues about war»: https://surl.li/jtwkrg
The materials were worked on by employees of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance: Olena Okhrimchuk, Hanna Baykenich, Serhiy Butko