Thursday, April 14, 2022

UKRAINE WAR IN MAPS - TRACKING THE RUSSIAN INVASION

 BBC News 14 April 2022 - by the Visual Journalism Team



Russia is building up troops and military equipment along Ukraine's eastern border ahead of an expected offensive in the Donbas region.

Here are the latest developments:

  • Ukraine claims it struck a Russian warship in the Black Sea
  • Russia continues preparations for eastern offensive
  • Ukraine also bolstering forces in Donetsk and Luhansk
  • Russian forces close to capturing southern city of Mariupol
Map showing areas under Russian control and areas retaken by Ukrainian counter-attacks

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, but its forces have now fully withdrawn from around the capital Kyiv and northern Ukraine to Belarus and Russia.

Fighting in eastern Ukraine is expected to intensify in the coming weeks as Russia continues to refocus its efforts there, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).

line

Russia targets full control in the east

Russian officials have said that the focus of their forces is now the "complete liberation" of the Donbas, which broadly refers to Ukraine's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, where Russian-backed separatists held significant territory before the invasion.

Map showing the Russian military advance into Ukraine from the east

Western officials say they expect Russia to substantially increase the number of troops it has in the Donbas, with satellite imagery showing a build-up of forces currently underway on Ukraine's border.

Satellite imagery showing Russian vehicles gathering near the Ukraine border.

Russian troops already in the Donbas are continuing to conduct unsuccessful local attacks but have not made any substantial progress, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

But the eastern towns of Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka are likely to become targets for similar levels of violence seen in other urban centres as Russia refocuses its war, the UK MoD says.

line

War in Ukraine: More coverage

line

Russian progress slows in the south

Russian forces initially made rapid gains in the south, with their main objective being the creation of a land corridor between Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, and areas held by Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk.

Map showing the Russian military advance into Ukraine from the south

Standing in the way of that objective has been the port city of Mariupol, which has been encircled by Russian forces since the start of March.

Pockets of Ukrainian resistance remain but Russian troops now claim to have control of most of the city.

Russian claims of a mass Ukrainian surrender there are likely false, say analysts at the ISW.

Russia has been accused of war crimes for its intense shelling of the city, with the local mayor saying more than 20,000 civilians have been killed.

Map showing Russian advances in Mariupol

To the west, Russia had been attempting to push towards Odesa, with the aim of cutting off Ukraine's access to the Black Sea, but their advances stalled at Mykolaiv.

The ISW believes that Ukrainian troops in the area may attempt to retake the city of Kherson in the coming weeks.

On Thursday, Ukraine claimed to have struck Russia's Black Sea warship Moskva with two cruise missiles, causing severe damage. Russia confirmed the ship had been damaged and crew evacuated but said it was investigating the cause.

The 510-crew vessel has led Russia's naval assault on Ukraine, making it an important symbolic and military target.

line

North retaken after Russian retreat

Ukrainian forces have retaken large areas around Kyiv and on their northern borders with Belarus and western Russia after Russian forces withdrew from the area.

The Russian retreat has allowed a clearer picture to emerge of the huge amount of damage and destruction to lives and towns and villages seized during their push towards the capital, with allegations of war crimes committed by Russian troops.

Map showing areas retaken by Ukrainian forces after Russian forces withdrew

By David Brown, Bella Hurrell, Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Lucy Rodgers, Paul Sargeant, Mark Bryson, Zoe Bartholomew, Sean Willmott, Sana Dionysiou, Joy Roxas, Gerry Fletcher, Jana Tauschinsk, Debie Loizou and Prina Shah.

line

About these maps

To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project.

To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using daily updates from the UK Ministry of Defence and BBC research.

The situation in Ukraine is fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.