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Ukraine marks 1,000 days of full-scale war

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Ukraine marks 1,000 days of full-scale war
The European Commission projects a Ukrainian flag on the front of the EU Commission headquarters to commemorate 1,000 days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Nov. 18, 2024 in Brussels, Belgium. (Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)

Ukraine on Nov. 19 marked 1,000 days of full-scale war with Russia.

Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, extending their aggression beyond the occupied Donbas region in an attempt to bring the entire country under Moscow's control.

"For 1,000 days, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been confronting the enemy on the front line, which stretches over 1,000 kilometers," Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Nov. 19.

"In the frozen trenches of Donetsk Oblast and in the burning steppes of Kherson Oblast under shells, hail, and anti-aircraft guns, we are fighting for the right to life. For us and our children."

The milestone comes as Ukraine braces for a difficult and uncertain winter. Russia on Nov. 17 launched one of its largest aerial attacks yet against Ukraine's energy grid, leaving civilians dead and injured across multiple regions.

The future of U.S. military aid to Ukraine is also in question, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January.

Meanwhile, thousands of Russian and North Korean forces have amassed in Russia's Kursk Oblast, preparing to launch a counteroffensive against Ukrainian troops. The escalating situation in Kursk reportedly prompted U.S. President Joe Biden to grant Ukraine permission to use American long-range weapons on Russian territory.

"Every dark night, even if there are a thousand of them, always ends with dawn," Syrskyi said.

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Abbey Fenbert

Senior News Editor

Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.

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By infiltrating Ukrainian positions in small infantry groups, Russia has accumulated around 200 troops within Pokrovsk, the General Staff reported. These personnel are engaging in "intense" small arms and drone clashes with Ukrainian troops in the city.

While Ukraine also lacks Western-supplied weapons, soldiers and commanders say shortages of basics — cars, drones and people — make holding back Russia extremely difficult. Even as Kyiv seeks U.S. approval for Tomahawks, they say critical, rudimentary gear is the more pressing need.

Russia faces an increase in the arson and “spontaneous combustion” of electrical panels, railway relay cabinets, and other infrastructure helping Moscow wage its war against Ukraine over the past week, a source at Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

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The episode covers Russian war crimes in Pokrovsk and continued attacks on Ukrainian cities, including missile strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv. While Moscow continues to reject a ceasefire with Ukraine, has President Trump finally shifted his approach to Russia?

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