Published on
24/02/2026 – 12:19 GMT+1

Four years ago today, Russian troops crossed the border, and the first missiles struck Ukrainian cities.

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Russia started its full-scale invasion. An all-out war, which seemed unimaginable in 21st-century Europe. That day, millions of Ukrainians woke up to the sound of explosions.

But human tragedy does not need another explanation. It needs memory. So today, here is the timeline Europeans must never forget.

First missiles. First air raid syrens. First mass evacuations to the West. And almost immediately, first signs of fierce resilience.

From the border guards on Snake Island refusing to surrender, to ordinary citizens protesting in the streets of occupied Kherson.

From President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recording a video in the dark streets of Kyiv, saying he was not going to flee.

To Russian troops encircling the capital, with the occupation came what later proved to be horrifying atrocities in places like Bucha and Irpin.

In the south, Russian forces targeted the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and laid a brutal siege on the coastal city of Mariupol.

Russia expected Kyiv to fall in three days. Military experts said it was not a matter of if, but when.

But we are now in 2026.

Moscow continues to target civilian energy infrastructure, causing massive blackouts and leaving millions freezing.

The war has evolved, redefined by drones and technology.

And Europe? Over 4.3 million Ukrainian refugees receive temporary EU protection. Three-quarters are women and children, since martial law requires military-aged men to stay and fight.

And while Kyiv and Washington both want a ceasefire, Moscow simply refuses to stop the fighting.

And so, the timeline of this war keeps ticking.

Watch the Euronews video in the player above for the full story.