The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War started when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Earlier in 2014, civil unrest and several demonstrations in Ukraine forced the pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych to step down. This in turn led to demonstrations by pro-Russian groups in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine and prompted Russia to invade and annexe Crimea. Tensions escalated into a war when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

The invasion, and the Russian military’s targeting of civilians, has led to millions of Ukrainians fleeing the country, representing in 2022 Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II. The majority of refugees found safety in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. When Ukrainian forces forced the Russians to withdraw from Irpin and Bucha, mass graves were uncovered, with bodies showing signs of torture. Similarly, Russian troops have throughout the war targeted cultural sites, hospitals, and crucial infrastructure, violating the Geneva Conventions.