The Russia‑Ukraine war is still ongoing in early 2026, with Russia occupying about one‑fifth of Ukraine and no formal peace deal in place.

Quick Scoop

How it started

  • In 2014, Russia seized Crimea and backed separatists in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, starting a limited war there.
  • On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full‑scale invasion across multiple fronts, describing it as a “special military operation,” while Ukraine and most of the world called it an unprovoked war of aggression.

What the situation looks like now (early 2026)

  • Nearly four years after the full invasion, the war is unresolved and intense fighting continues along a long front line.
  • Russia currently controls roughly 20% of Ukraine’s territory and made some additional gains during 2024 and late 2025, mainly in eastern and southeastern regions.
  • Russian forces are conducting large‑scale missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure, while Ukraine responds with long‑range drone strikes on Russian military and oil facilities.
  • Military analysts describe it as a grinding, high‑casualty war of attrition, with combined casualties likely in the hundreds of thousands and possibly approaching two million by spring 2026, including killed and wounded on both sides.

Diplomacy and “what next”

  • Various peace and ceasefire ideas have been floated by the United States and European countries, but there is still no comprehensive settlement.
  • Russia insists on recognition of its control over occupied regions and has even signaled ambitions beyond them, while Ukraine demands full restoration of its territory and security guarantees.
  • Negotiations and back‑channel talks run in parallel with ongoing offensives, so diplomacy and fighting are happening at the same time.

Impact on people and Europe

  • The war has caused massive human suffering, including more than 53,000 documented civilian casualties and millions of Ukrainians displaced inside the country and abroad.
  • Critical infrastructure—especially power, water, and heating—has been repeatedly hit, leaving many Ukrainians without basic services during winter periods.
  • European governments now treat the conflict as a long‑term security challenge, strengthening NATO and planning for sustained support to Ukraine and defense against Russian pressure.

Why you still see it in the news

  • The war keeps reshaping global politics: NATO expansion, energy markets, sanctions on Russia, and debates over military aid are all driven by this conflict.
  • Analysts expect high‑intensity, grinding combat to continue into 2026 unless there is a major battlefield shift or a political breakthrough.

In short, what happened to Russia and Ukraine is not a finished story yet: it began with Crimea and Donbas in 2014, exploded into a full‑scale invasion in 2022, and has hardened into a long, destructive war still underway in 2026.

TL;DR: Russia invaded Ukraine (first in 2014, then massively in 2022), now occupies about 20% of the country, the fighting and missile strikes continue, diplomacy has not produced peace, and the human and geopolitical costs are huge.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.