What’s happening in the Ukraine?
Armed conflict in eastern Ukraine erupted in early 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The first eight years have included fighting in Crimea and Donbas regions, as well as cyberwarfare and political tensions. Following a Russian military build-up on the Russia–Ukraine border from late 2021, the conflict expanded significantly.
On 24 February 2022, Russia announced a military incursion in Ukraine as Russian military vehicles crossed the border into Donetsk. The ensuing conflict has caused over 22,000 civilian deaths and injuries. More than five million people have been internally displaced, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The conflict has forced another eight million Ukrainians to flee to neighbouring countries such as Poland and Moldova.
Ukraine was once a global breadbasket, feeding itself and other countries around the world. It is now in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe. In 2021, Ukrainian grain was used to feed more than 400 million people worldwide. The ongoing conflict means that millions of people around the world will not be able to access the food which they have come to depend on.