Russia thought it would take days to seize Ukraine. 4 years later, war is still raging

KYIV, Ukraine, and MOSCOW — When the Kremlin launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the assumption in Moscow, and much of the West, was that Russian forces would take the country in a matter of days.

Instead, what the Kremlin calls a "special military operation" has become the biggest land war in Europe since World War II and has lasted longer than the Soviet army's fight against Nazi Germany. Russia's war on Ukraine is a grinding war of attrition. Ukraine has managed to hold a much larger army to minimal gains while adjusting to a life under constant siege and grief. Both countries have suffered enormous casualties.

Efforts to find a negotiated settlement to the conflict appear largely at an impasse. During his campaign in the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump famously claimed he could end the war in a day once he returned to the White House. A year of U.S. diplomatic efforts have brought Russian and Ukrainian envoys to the table but no closer to a consensus. Sticking points include claims over territory, reparations and security guarantees.

With the war now entering its fifth year, here is a snapshot of its key developments and where it may be headed in the future.

https://www.npr.org/2026/02/24/nx-s1-5721139/russia-ukraine-war