Course of War in Maps: How Two Weeks of Invasion Happened to Ukraine
Created: 03/10/2022Updated: 03/10/2022 14:58
By: Philipp David Pries
Putin's war in Ukraine: we trace the first two weeks since the outbreak.
© SNA/IMAGO (Assembly Litzka/Bruckmann)
What course did Putin's war against Ukraine take?
The first two weeks of the war and the Russian invasion are made comprehensible on maps and a chronology.
Kyiv - Two weeks ago, the Russian war in Ukraine began.
During this time great suffering broke out over the population.
In addition, the advance of Putin's army brought much destruction to the city and country and to sensitive places like the Holocaust memorial in Kyiv.
Even if there is no end in sight to the Ukraine war after two weeks, we want to try to trace the first days and the course of the war here.
Naturally, this can only ever be an incomplete excerpt of what happened.
In our
maps
in this article you can follow the course of Russian attacks since day one as an example.
The geographic dimensions also become clear here: in terms of area, the Ukraine is almost twice the size of Germany.
At the same time, we consciously link the maps to a short
chronology of each day of the war
, which makes the dimensions behind it clear: destruction, deaths, violence and crime.
At the same time, the focus remains on the political-military dimension of a war that is sending shock waves across the world - and also to Russia itself, which probably, at least in the form of Vladimir Putin, was counting on a very quick military end to the war.
When displaying maps, we rely, among other things, on verified data from the Institute for the Study of War.
A conscious or unconscious focus on the US perspective of the war cannot be ruled out.
Nevertheless, in our opinion, the institute has published by far the best military analyzes of the Ukraine war to date.
However, many of the tens of thousands of reports and posts about attacks or military movements that see the light of day on social media platforms such as Twitter are less reliable these days.
Many cannot be independently verified or are published with a specific interest.
In this war, too, the truth is the first of many victims.
Chronology in Maps: Putin's War Against Ukraine
Thursday, February 22:
War begins before it's called war.
Putin recognizes the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics - but over an area that goes well beyond that.
It also includes Ukrainian territory, which is very significant.
At the same time, Putin can now conduct unlimited military operations in any dimension until further notice.
Friday, February 24
: Putin's full-scale war against Ukraine begins.
This should lead to a rapid overthrow of the government as well as the occupation of the entire Ukraine.
That is already the result of Western analyses.
According to this, Putin will be able to take full control of the country within days or a few weeks.
The first wave begins with numerous air raids and advances.
Saturday, February 25:
The Russian army advances into many urban areas, such as Kiev, for the first time.
In general, the gains in terrain in the north are greater than in the south, which is attributed to the differently organized military leadership.
Apparently, the Ukrainian troops are already stronger than Putin's Russia had expected.
There are high casualties and many deaths.
Saturday, February 26:
Russia initially fails to isolate the capital Kiev.
Numerous Russian advances fail because of the high level of Ukrainian resistance.
Nevertheless, the thrusts in the south are the greatest danger for the Ukrainian army.
Experts explain that Russia's massive logistical and organizational problems are not the cause of the fact that the Russian army has not gained much ground.
Sunday, February 27
: Because the strategy of a targeted invasion with limited forces and then a quick Ukrainian surrender failed, Russia is bringing in massive amounts of new troops.
According to observers, the troops are currently gathering and rearranging themselves until new attacks and increased attacks from the air are stopped.
Still, cities like Mariupol are already encircled.
Escape is impossible or extremely difficult.
Monday, February 28:
Russian artillery deployed extensively.
The Russian troops are mainly advancing in four axes: Kyiv, the Northeast Front, Donbas/Mariupol and the Crimean-Kherson line in the south.
The Russian-controlled area is currently changing very little.
Nevertheless, many pictures show broken down, abandoned or destroyed Russian units.
Tuesday, March 1:
Russian troops continue to be reinforced and equipped north and west of Kiev.
According to analyzes by Western institutes such as the Institute for the Study of War, the primary goal of the Russian army remains control of the capital.
The gap closure at Mariupol seems imminent, after Russia would control a continuous corridor from Crimea to the Donetsk-Luhansk region.
The worst is feared for the residents.
Wednesday, March 2:
The Russian army is making much slower progress than many observers initially expected.
The gains in territory remain manageable, and the capital Kyiv has not yet been taken.
However, satellite images show a kilometer-long column of military vehicles moving north of Kyiv.
At the same time, Russian troops are moving towards Kyiv from the east.
also read
Ukraine war: Putin's understanding of history and its consequences
Putin has decided to go to war with Ukraine.
His understanding of history gives clues as to what his long-term plans in Ukraine and beyond might be.
Ukraine war: Putin's understanding of history and its consequences
Records of Russian Military Communications: Are the First Forces Deserting?
Recordings of Russian armed forces talks show growing resentment on the part of the Russian army.
There are even rumors of deserting soldiers.
Records of Russian Military Communications: Are the First Forces Deserting?
Thursday, March 3:
Russia has not yet encircled Kiev and Kharkiv.
The army appears to be concentrating on multiple simultaneous advances, but with limited success.
Still, the war and the area of Russian control are progressing - such as Mariupol in the far south.
People are fleeing from all over Ukraine and trying to get to safety.
Friday, March 4:
The Russian army is advancing on Kiev from the east and north.
Here, observers expect bad things to happen as soon as the army hits a significant inhabited area.
Heavy fighting also breaks out in Mariupol.
The water supply is interrupted: "The old Mariupol no longer exists".
Saturday, March 5:
No major attacks are reported against major cities like Kiev or Kharkiv in the south-east of the country.
There are hardly any other Russian advances.
Nevertheless, there are massive reports of attacks on civilians and civilian buildings.
According to observers, Russia's strategy and preparation was simply not designed for large-scale offensives and campaigns.
Sunday, March 6th:
A day that, just by looking at the map, heralds little change in the war.
But in fact, massive deadly air and missile attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are happening;
even evacuation corridors like that of the city of Mariupol in the south are shelled.
"They botched the initial invasion," says military expert Michael Kofmann.
Monday, March 7:
The residents of Kiev are threatened with catastrophe: Putin's troops are preparing from several directions to storm the capital within the next few days.
In the south there are several parallel Russian advances, but no combined attacks.
Tuesday, March 8
Russian troops continue to concentrate forces around Kiev.
A storm on the capital is expected more than ever in the coming days.
On the other fronts, however, there is rather little movement, especially in the east and south-west.
At the same time, the humanitarian situation is becoming increasingly critical and tens of thousands are fleeing.
Wednesday, March 9
: On day 14, the Russian army continues the encirclement of Kiev.
In Mariupol there are massive bombings with many deaths, including among the civilian population.
is expected.
that Russia is first concentrating its troops.
Reports from the front show that the army is showing less and less consideration for civilians and is also using weapon systems that are questionable under international law.
An end to the war is not in sight even after day 14.
Our data, sources and methods
Even though we mainly worked with LiveUAMap as the basis for our data maps in the early days, the course of the war shown here is based on work and analyzes by the US Institute for the Understanding of War in Washington DC This is now supported by the AEI Critital Threat Project.
They evaluate a large number of sources and condense them into geodata of the course of the war, which we use as a starting point for some map projects.
However, despite all examination and research, all representation can of course only be an approximation of reality.
We have prepared the basic map data, placed it in a chronology and also integrated it into the maps in this article.
