In January 2014, conflict emerged in eastern Ukraine following Russia's annexation of Crimea. Following greater cooperation with the United States and NATO states, sufficient intelligence was gathered to determine that Russia was preparing an escalation amounting to a greater invasion of Ukraine. In February 2022, the largest deployment of Russian troops moved toward borderlands. Despite the evidence, Ukrainian officials played down the possibility of an "unprovoked" attack. But the war did in fact begin just a few weeks later.
Want to learn more shocking facts and figures about the Russia-Ukraine war? Click through the gallery.