(KYIV) – Ukraine marked four years on 24 February since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion, commemorating early battlefield losses and highlighting the continuing impact of the war.
The date coincided with Estonia’s independence day. Ukrainian commentators described the anniversary as a moment to reflect on the first hours of the invasion, when border units faced advancing Russian forces.
Among the first casualties was Marine Vitalii Skakun, killed on 24 February 2022 after detonating explosives on the Henichesk road bridge linking the Arabat Spit and mainland Ukraine. According to official accounts, Skakun returned to the bridge after a remote detonation failed, triggering the charge manually as a Russian tank column approached from Crimea. The blast destroyed the crossing and delayed the advance for several hours. He was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine for exceptional personal courage.
Skakun, born on 19 August 1996 in Berezhany, Ternopil region, had trained as a welder in Lviv before signing a contract in 2019 with the Ukrainian Marine Corps. He served in the 35th Separate Marine Brigade and had previously studied combat engineering. On the evening of 23 February 2022 he told his mother that an attack was imminent and that Ukraine would have to defend itself.
Another early casualty was Staff Sergeant Denys Kotiuk, killed at 3.40 local time on 24 February at a border checkpoint in the village of Milove, Luhansk region. He reportedly ordered five younger soldiers to withdraw before engaging advancing Russian troops with a machine gun. He was fatally wounded in the exchange. Ukrainian officials said his actions enabled his subordinates to survive.
Four years later, Ukrainian analysts continue to cite the failed Russian airborne assault on Hostomel airport near Kyiv as a turning point. On 23 February 2022, Russian transport aircraft were positioned to deploy airborne troops to seize the airfield. The operation collapsed after Ukrainian forces shelled the runway, preventing large aircraft from landing. Attack helicopters including the Ka 52 attempted to insert troops, but several were shot down by shoulder fired air defence systems. Newly released footage this week showed a Ka 52 helicopter being destroyed over Hostomel on 24 February 2022.
Commentary circulating online in early 2022 dismissing the possibility of invasion was also revisited. Several public figures had publicly predicted that Russia would not attack. Within days, Russian forces crossed multiple borders, marking the end of the post Second World War European security framework.
Maps comparing territorial control from June 2022 to February 2026 show limited Russian gains in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian sources estimate combined Russian casualties at more than one million killed and wounded over four years, although independent verification is not possible. Analysts note that the net territorial shift since the initial assault on Kyiv measures several dozen kilometres in parts of the east.
A Russian historian interviewed in a recent broadcast argued that Russia had squandered substantial financial reserves accumulated between 2000 and 2022. Roughly 300 billion US dollars in foreign reserves remain frozen abroad, while the National Wealth Fund, once valued at more than 300 billion US dollars in combined assets, has been significantly depleted. The historian said the funds could have been invested domestically rather than consumed by war spending.
On 24 February 2026, Ukrainian forces also reported a renewed strike on the Kaleikino oil pumping station in Russia, a node feeding the Druzhba pipeline system. The pipeline previously transported crude oil towards Slovakia and Hungary. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure linked to Russian export revenues. Video footage showed large fuel tanks ablaze. The site lies approximately 1,100 kilometres from Ukrainian controlled territory.
Energy analysts say pumping stations require stable pressure maintained by stored fuel reserves. Damage to storage tanks can disrupt operations even if pipelines remain intact. Ukraine has previously disrupted sections of the Druzhba route, and transit through Ukrainian territory was curtailed in late 2025.
As the war enters its fifth year, Ukrainian officials continue to frame strikes on military and energy targets as part of a broader strategy to reduce Russia’s capacity to finance the invasion.
