Russia’s War in Ukraine Reaches 100 Days

This war has no winner.

United Nations Crisis Coordinator for Ukraine, Amin Awad, on Friday — the 100th day of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Why It Matters: Friday marks the 100th day of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in what it has described as a “special military operation” with the goals of “demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine.” Since invading Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and facing strong resistance from Ukrainian forces in areas such as the capitol city of Kiev, Russia has shifted its primary goal to the “liberation of Donbas” — the eastern region of Ukraine, much of which contained already-contested areas and was controlled by Russian-backed separatists. It has already been the largest war in Europe since World War II; tens of thousands have died and millions have been displaced.

• What’s happening now? Russia continues “to make incremental, grinding, and costly progress in eastern Ukraine,” and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports Russian forces now control around 20 percent of the country. Western countries continue to send weapons and aid to Ukraine, and also to levy sanctions against Russia. All of this financially impacts Ukraine, Russia and other countries around the world; it also impacts global food supply, especially in developing countries.
• What does Ukraine say? In a video address on Friday, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said: “We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already. Victory will be ours.”
• What does Russia say? In Kherson, “the first major city to fall,” Russian military officials have replaced the former mayor with someone who holds “pro-Russian” views (BBC). Russian currency has also been introduced into the region, as Russia “is laying the groundwork” for the region (and others) “to be incorporated into Russia.” Although it is not clear whether or when this scenario would actually happen, residents of Kherson were told by Andrei Turchak, a high-ranking official in Russia’s ruling party, that “Russia is here forever.”
• What do Ukrainians say? As some Western officials have suggested that Ukraine will need to make territorial concessions to bring the war to an end, NBC News reports: “A recent poll from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 82 percent of Ukrainian adults believe that ‘no territorial concessions should be allowed’ in order to reach a peace agreement, compared to 10 percent who thought some territorial concessions should be made.”

After 100 days of war, Ukraine is resolved to take its land back from Russia (NBC News)

Russia may be in Ukraine to stay after 100 days (Associated Press)

EXPLAINER: At 100 days, Russia-Ukraine war by the numbers (Associated Press)

Interview: ‘Any way you look at it, wars are evil,’ UN Ukraine Crisis chief (UN News)