The war returned Ukrainians to the times of great battles that seemed to remain forever in history books.
Already 10 months after the large-scale invasion, the Kharkiv counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be called one of the most lightning-fast military operations of our time. The Battle of Bakhmut has been compared to the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of the Somme during the First World War.
Russia suffers the largest fleet losses since the Falklands War.
The world will watch online how Ukrainian soldiers from Azovstal, being completely surrounded, will fight for Mariupol. How Severodonetsk held on and repulsed Mykolaiv. How the Ukrainian military returned to Kherson.
The battles of today will be as fateful as the battles of the past. Right now, the soldiers of the Armed Forces are creating the future of all of Europe.
Forbes compiled the 20 biggest battles of the war that defined history this year
Battle for Kyiv, 24.02.2022/02.04.2022/37 – XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). Russia suffered significant losses on the approaches to Kyiv and retreated. After the retreat, numerous war crimes by the Russian military became known. Russia had to abandon plans to seize power in Ukraine.
Battle for Kherson, 24.02.2022/02.03.2022/6 - XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). The Ukrainian military managed to keep most of its forces and transfer them to the right bank of the Dnieper. It was not possible to organize a defense along the Dnieper due to a large number of enemy landing operations and a rapid breakthrough to Nova Kakhovka. However, the retreat made it possible to build the defense of Mykolaiv and stop the advance of the Russian Federation on Odesa.
Battle for Kharkiv, 24.02.2022/11.09.2022/220 – XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). The forces of the TRO, the military and the National Guard managed to stop the advance of the enemy and the encirclement of Kharkiv. The city was destroyed, but the enemy had to retreat. The fighting on the approaches to Kharkiv continued until September.
Battle for Chernihiv, 24.02.2022/02.04.2022/37 – XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). Chernihiv was almost completely surrounded and destroyed. However, the resistance of the Ukrainian forces stopped the advance of the Russians and allowed the defense of Kyiv to be concentrated in the north. The Russian army retreated with losses.
Battle for Mykolaiv, 24.02.2022 – 10.11.2022 (260 days). The Armed Forces stopped the advance of the Russians on Odesa and removed the threat of a ground attack.
Battle for Mariupol, 24.02.2022/20.05.2022/85 - XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). Ukrainian military heroically defended the city, however, Russia had an advantage in people and weapons. The enemy was forced to concentrate significant forces around Mariupol, which reduced the threat to northern Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
Battle for control of airspace, 24.02.2022/30/XNUMX - end of March (XNUMX+). Russia had a 1:10 advantage in the air. In the first days, the enemy conducted active landing operations and air cover. But thanks to the resistance of the Ukrainian Air Force and the allied supply of MANPADS, Russia lost more than 100 planes and helicopters in the first weeks of the war. After that, the Russian Federation abandoned air operations along the front line and lost air superiority.
The Battle of Gulyaipole, 11.03.2022 - present (290+). Ukrainian forces defended Gulyaipole and stopped the advance of the enemy, which could lead to the semi-encirclement of the Armed Forces in Donbas.
Offensive to Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, April - June (90+). The enemy's advance has been stopped, the strategic threat of an attack on central Ukraine has passed.
Battle for Popasna, 03.03.2022 - 08.05.2022 (66). Russia managed to capture the city, almost completely destroying it. This worsened the situation for the Armed Forces in the Severodonetsk and Svyatodar areas.
Battle for Severodonetsk, 28.02.2022 – 24.06.2022 (116). The battle has turned heavy street fighting. Ukrainian forces found themselves semi-encircled. However, the Armed Forces managed to exhaust the reserves of the Russians. After the capture of Severodonetsk/Lysychansk, the Russian forces were forced to take a break for a month to recuperate.
Offensive on Slovyansk, 01.04.2022/06.09.2022/160 – XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX+). For the Russian Federation, the heavy battles north of Slovyansk did not end in success. At the beginning of the counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to exhaust the forces of the First Tank Army of the Russian Federation and move the front line away from Slovyansk. The only gain during the offensive for the Russian Federation was the temporary occupation of Liman.
The battle for control of the north-western waters of the Black Sea, 24.02.2022 - 29.10.2022 (240+). A naval landing was considered one of the main threats to the defense of Odessa. However, Russia suffered a humiliating defeat, losing cruiser Moscow and control over Snake Island. The final point in Russia's plans was put by the attack of Ukrainian kamikaze boats on a ship in the waters of Sevastopol.
Counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast (Phase I), 06.09.2022/12.09.2022/7 – XNUMX/XNUMX/XNUMX (XNUMX days). The Armed Forces managed to free more than 10 square meters km of the occupied territories, in particular Kup'yansk and Izyum, to capture hundreds of units of Russian military equipment. This operation is probably one of the most successful ground operations in modern military history.
Counteroffensive in Kherson region, 27.08.2022 – 11.11.2022 (75 days). Heavy fighting on the right bank of the Dnieper has been going on since mid-summer. The counteroffensive of the Armed Forces was complicated by the open terrain and the concentration of significant enemy forces. But a series of constant strikes on logistics routes forced Russia to retreat to the left bank. The attack on the Crimean bridge played an important role in the liberation of Kherson.
Counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Region (Phase II – Battle for Liman), September 12.09.2022, 02.10.2022 – October 20, XNUMX (XNUMX days). Ukrainian forces managed to break through the defense of the Russian Federation behind the Oskil reservoir and form a bridgehead for the offensive on Svatov. Heavy fighting for Liman ended with the retreat of the Russians.
Battle of Svatovo/Rubizhne, 02.10.2022 - present (80+ days). Ukrainian forces continue to liberate northern Luhansk region and push the enemy away from Kupyansk and Lyman. However, weather conditions and the transfer of thousands of mobilized troops slowed down the advance of the Armed Forces.
Battle of Ugledar, 03.11.2022/50/XNUMX - Present (XNUMX+ days). The enemy attacked Pavlivka in preparation for the offensive on Vugledar. The Russians suffered losses and the command had to introduce reserves. In heavy fighting, the Russian Federation took control of Pavlivka, but further progress stopped.
The battle for Avdiivka, 24.02.2022/300/XNUMX - to the present time (XNUMX+ days). One of the longest battles of the war. The enemy managed to create two bridgeheads north and south of Avdiyivka, capturing Verhnyotoretske and Pisky. Ukrainian forces continue to defend the direction.
Battle of Bakhmut, 01.08.2022/140/XNUMX - present (XNUMX+ days). Initially, the battle developed as an additional direction of the attack on Severodonetsk. But after the retreat in Kharkiv Oblast, it became the main direction attacks on the north of Donetsk region. The enemy concentrated the main forces here. There are exhausting battles, in particular because of the cold and swampy terrain.
