Russia’s war in Ukraine is set to reach the 500-day mark this weekend, a grim milestone for a conflict that rages with no end in sight.
While the fighting has fallen largely into a stalemate — there has been no significant movement in battle lines control in months — the war continues to take a heavy toll on the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people. And the stakes are only getting higher.
A month ago, a major dam that Russia controls in southern Ukraine collapsed, flooding an entire region with a toxic torrent that left death and destruction in its wake as well as long-term environmental consequences.
Fears of a nuclear disaster have increased, particularly this week after Ukraine and Russia accused each other of planning to attack one of the world’s largest atomic power plants.
Meanwhile, dozens of civilians in Ukraine have been killed by sporadic missiles launched by Russia, including many who were killed and wounded while dining in a pizza restaurant in the east, and 10 who were killed as they slept on Thursday when their apartment building was struck in the west.
An attempted mutiny by a Russian mercenary chief brought a taste of the war’s chaos to Moscow and exposed cracks in Russia’s military leadership, further raising the stakes.
Saturday marks 500 days since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Peace talks are a long way off as both sides look to improve their hand, with Ukrainians trying to recapture as much territory as they can and Russia intent on holding it.
This selection of photographs shows some of the most crucial moments of the war.
