Two years ago today, Russia shocked the world by invading its neighbor Ukraine in a large-scale military operation not seen in Europe since World War II.
More than 100,000 Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s borders in the days leading up to the February 24, 2022, invasion.
Analysts made dire predictions that Moscow’s armies would achieve victory within days, but Ukrainian forces have shocked the world and heroically defended their nation.
But it has cost many of them their lives. It is estimated that 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers and 10,000 civilians have died in the last two years.
However, there are fears that the war is slipping away from Ukraine as it loses more territory and runs out of ammunition as the world begins to focus on Israel-Gaza.
In addition to the murder of thousands of people, the war has also completely destroyed towns, cities and entire landscapes in Ukraine.
As Russia’s brutal invasion marks its second anniversary, MailOnline looks at the devastation the war has caused the country over the past 730 days in a series of extraordinary satellite photographs.
Satellite photos released by Maxar Technologies show the eastern town of Petrivka, Donetsk Oblast, on August 24, 2022 (left), and then after intense artillery bombardment amid the Russian military invasion of Ukraine in February 2023 ( right).
Satellite photos released by Maxar Technologies show school number 12 and apartment buildings in the eastern city of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, on May 8, 2022 (left) and May 15, 2023 (right).
A western neighborhood of the eastern city of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, on October 16, 2021 (left) before the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and on February 17, 2024 (right) in the midst of the war.
The eastern city of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, on October 16, 2021 (left) before the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and on February 17, 2024 (right), amid the invasion.
Makiivka school on November 1, 2022 (left) and after a strike on January 8, 2023 (right)
An overview of the Black Sea Fleet headquarters before an attack, in Sevastopol Bay, on September 20, 2023 (left) and after an attack, on September 23, 2023 (right).
A Ropucha landing ship, before an attack, in the port of Feodosia on December 5, 2023 (left) and after sinking following an attack, on December 26, 2023 (right)
An area of the southern city of Oleshky Kherson Oblast, on May 15, 2023 (left), and with flooding on June 7, 2023 (right), after the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam, amid the Russian military invasion to Ukraine.
The southern town of Oleshky along the Dnipro River, Kherson Oblast, on May 15, 2023 (left), and with flooding on June 7, 2023 (right) after the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam, amidst the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
The Nova Kakhovka Dam, southern Kherson Oblast, on May 28, 2022 (left) and June 16, 2023 (right) after its collapse.
A school and apartment buildings in the eastern town of Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, on May 8, 2022 (left) and May 15, 2023 (right), amid the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
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