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A funeral procession in Lviv, Ukraine, in March ends at grave websites the place troopers Viktor Dudar, 44, and Ivan Koverznev, 24, will likely be buried, as monks say their blessings and mourners look on.
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A funeral procession in Lviv, Ukraine, in March ends at grave websites the place troopers Viktor Dudar, 44, and Ivan Koverznev, 24, will likely be buried, as monks say their blessings and mourners look on.
Claire Harbage/NPR
KYIV, Ukraine — Six months in the past, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. The half-year mark comes on the identical day — Aug. 24 — as a nationwide vacation celebrating Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, an occasion in 1991 famous for its lack of bloodshed. At present the vacation takes on new that means for a lot of Ukrainians, because the nation continues to battle in what it calls a brand new “warfare for independence.”
Over the course of six months, the warfare has captured the world’s consideration, disrupted the worldwide distribution of meals and gas and left the nation reeling. To grasp among the warfare’s affect on Ukraine, listed here are six key numbers:
1. Over 13 million Ukrainians have been displaced
A girl and her daughter take a practice out of Lviv towards Poland in March, leaving her husband behind on the platform.
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A girl and her daughter take a practice out of Lviv towards Poland in March, leaving her husband behind on the platform.
Claire Harbage/NPR
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted Europe’s largest refugee disaster since World Conflict II. Since February, greater than 13 million folks have been pressured to flee their properties, in response to the United Nations refugee company, UNHCR. Almost 6.7 million refugees have dispersed throughout Europe, with Poland taking within the largest share. One other 6.6 million persons are internally displaced inside Ukraine.
Most Ukrainians who’ve fled the nation are girls and kids, as the federal government has barred males ages 18 to 60 from leaving. The European Union’s migration division says almost 500,000 Ukrainian kids have been built-in into faculties in EU international locations.
Ukrainians displaced by warfare pour out of the Lviv practice station in March.
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Ukrainians displaced by warfare pour out of the Lviv practice station in March.
Claire Harbage/NPR
In the meantime, because the warfare has stretched on and shifted course, many Ukrainians are going again dwelling. In response to a survey by the Worldwide Group for Migration, 5.5 million beforehand displaced folks have returned dwelling.
2. Tens of 1000’s of troopers and civilians might have misplaced their lives within the warfare
The mom (heart) of Ukrainian journalist-turned-soldier Viktor Dudar grieves at his grave as he is laid to relaxation in Lviv in March, as among the first useless troopers’ our bodies are returned dwelling.
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The mom (heart) of Ukrainian journalist-turned-soldier Viktor Dudar grieves at his grave as he is laid to relaxation in Lviv in March, as among the first useless troopers’ our bodies are returned dwelling.
Claire Harbage/NPR
Each side have reported shedding navy personnel for the reason that invasion started in February. Precise figures are laborious to come back by, since every nation is reluctant to confess losses and infrequently inflates the variety of enemy fighters they’ve killed.
Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed forces, mentioned this week at a public discussion board that Ukraine has misplaced 9,000 navy personnel. The Ukrainian navy has additionally claimed to have killed or wounded 45,200 Russian navy personnel, with the biggest losses within the jap Donetsk and southern Mykolaiv areas.
In the meantime, the U.N. human rights workplace has documented practically 5,600 civilians killed in Ukraine in the course of the battle however believes the precise toll is way larger.
A soldier’s funeral in Lviv in March, as among the first useless troopers’ our bodies are returned dwelling.
Claire Harbage/NPR
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A soldier’s funeral in Lviv in March, as among the first useless troopers’ our bodies are returned dwelling.
Claire Harbage/NPR
Russia has been releasing scant data on navy casualties. Officers there mentioned 1,351 of their very own troopers died within the first weeks of the warfare, in March, however haven’t launched up to date information since. Unbiased Russian information outlet iStories says it counted (via open-source data) greater than 5,000 Russian service members killed, however that the true quantity might be larger.
In March, Russian navy officers estimated Ukrainian losses at round 14,000 killed and 16,000 out of motion.
3. Russia occupies 20% of Ukrainian land
A person herds sheep in Kherson area, close to Crimea, in February. The world is now occupied by Russia.
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A person herds sheep in Kherson area, close to Crimea, in February. The world is now occupied by Russia.
Claire Harbage/NPR
In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. Quickly Russian-backed militants declared their intent to separate from Ukraine within the nation’s far east, launching a battle that is been locked in a stalemate for practically eight years.
In February, Russians managed round 17,000 sq. miles of Ukrainian land, in response to Ukraine’s mission to the U.N. — Crimea being the scale of Maryland and the self-proclaimed impartial “republics” in Ukraine’s east amounting to a territory about the scale of New Jersey.
Six months into the full-scale invasion, Russia has expanded its territory in Ukraine virtually threefold. In June, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Russia has occupied 20% of the nation, or about 47,000 sq. miles. That is a territory concerning the dimension of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and far of Maryland mixed.
The road of contact between Russian and Ukrainian forces extends 570 miles, as of Monday.
4. Dozens of nations have pledged billions of {dollars} in navy assist for the reason that warfare started
Ukrainian servicemen put together to fireplace at Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, July 14. Weapons equipped by Western international locations have considerably boosted the Ukrainian navy’s functionality.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
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Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Ukrainian servicemen put together to fireplace at Russian positions from a U.S.-supplied M777 howitzer in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, July 14. Weapons equipped by Western international locations have considerably boosted the Ukrainian navy’s functionality.
Evgeniy Maloletka/AP
Dozens of nations have equipped Ukraine with navy help, together with weapons programs and coaching. The majority of the help has come from the U.S. With President Biden’s announcement Wednesday of one other $3 billion, Washington has now dedicated $10.6 billion in safety assist since Russia’s February invasion. Billions extra will likely be coming from an assist package deal handed in Could.
On Ukrainian battlefields, Australia has grow to be synonymous with the 88 armored autos it is offered, Turkey is thought for its roughly 80 fight drones, Britain for the 22,000 troopers it skilled. Different international locations have supplied logistical assist, just like the 3.2 million gallons of diesel and jet gas Slovakia offered.
In the case of financial warfare, EU member states plus one other 18 international locations have levied particular person sanctions towards Russia previously six months. However consultants warn the sanctions may have a restricted impact on Russia’s export potential, as two-thirds of the world’s inhabitants is concentrated within the international locations which have both stayed impartial or supported Russia, in response to the Economist Intelligence Unit.
5. Ukraine’s economic system may shrink by as a lot as 45% due to the invasion
A broken dwelling in Moshchun, which is tucked right into a forest simply northwest of Ukraine’s capital, in April. Earlier than the Russian invasion, it was a slice of pastoral suburbia, the place urbanites had their nation cottages and retirees constructed their dream properties for his or her golden years.
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A broken dwelling in Moshchun, which is tucked right into a forest simply northwest of Ukraine’s capital, in April. Earlier than the Russian invasion, it was a slice of pastoral suburbia, the place urbanites had their nation cottages and retirees constructed their dream properties for his or her golden years.
Claire Harbage/NPR
The invasion has devastated Ukraine’s economic system throughout the board. The World Financial institution estimated in April that the Ukrainian economic system may shrink by 45% this yr. Final week, Ukraine’s economic system minister mentioned the nation’s gross home product of $200.9 billion in 2021 is more likely to contract between 35% and 40% by the tip of the yr.
The battle has price Ukraine over $113.5 billion in harm, the Kyiv Faculty of Economics says, with housing and transportation infrastructure hit notably laborious. KSE says the nation will want upwards of $200 billion to recuperate.
The Lebanese-flagged bulk service Courageous Commander is loaded with wheat on the port of Pivdennyi, close to the Ukrainian metropolis of Odesa, on Aug. 14. The wheat is destined for Ethiopia, because of a deal permitting meals shipments to depart Ukraine’s ports.
Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
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The Lebanese-flagged bulk service Courageous Commander is loaded with wheat on the port of Pivdennyi, close to the Ukrainian metropolis of Odesa, on Aug. 14. The wheat is destined for Ethiopia, because of a deal permitting meals shipments to depart Ukraine’s ports.
Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
In the meantime, Reuters studies that Ukraine’s Agriculture Ministry says grain exports are down 46% from final yr because of a five-month blockade of the nation’s Black Sea ports. And regardless of a U.N.-brokered deal reached in July to permit meals shipments to depart Ukraine, the agriculture sector remains to be anticipated to take an enormous hit. The nation’s metal trade has additionally taken a beating.
Ukraine has numerous associates all through the world who’re attempting to assist preserve its economic system afloat. The U.S. alone has already pledged $8.5 billion in monetary help to Kyiv this yr to maintain authorities workplaces open and staffed and utilities working. In the meantime, the European Union has given billions of euros to Ukraine since February, and has lately customary a package deal to provide 8 billion euros extra in monetary assist over the following six months.
6. Bake gross sales, spare change and “St. Javelin” have raised over $500 million in non-public cash to assist Ukraine
A mural often known as St. Javelin — displaying a meme of the Virgin Mary cradling a U.S.-made anti-tank Javelin launcher — on the wall of an condo constructing in Kyiv on Could 24.
Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Photos/LightRocket through Getty Photos
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Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Photos/LightRocket through Getty Photos
A mural often known as St. Javelin — displaying a meme of the Virgin Mary cradling a U.S.-made anti-tank Javelin launcher — on the wall of an condo constructing in Kyiv on Could 24.
Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Photos/LightRocket through Getty Photos
In February, a Canadian-Ukrainian author, Christian Borys, and California artist Chris Shaw created a meme of a lady showing just like the Virgin Mary holding a rocket launcher. Borys referred to as it “St. Javelin,” after the U.S.-supplied anti-tank missiles. Since then, he is fashioned the meme right into a model that has bought greater than $3 million price of stickers and different merchandise to assist Ukraine.
Borys’ initiative is one in every of a whole bunch prefer it.
In June, Ukrainian TV character Serhiy Prytula requested his followers to purchase him a Turkish-made drone priced at $5 million. He ended up elevating $55 million. Baykar, the corporate that makes the drone, refused to take the cash. As an alternative, the corporate donated three drones. In August, Prytula used the funds he raised to buy a reconnaissance satellite tv for pc for Ukrainian intelligence.
As of July, Ukraine’s Nationwide Financial institution studies to have collected $530 million in donations for the Ukrainian navy — largely from folks rounding up at store money registers and fundraisers within the nation. On Tuesday, residents of the small western Ukrainian city of Dubno raised $866.55 at a bake sale and flea marketplace for the navy.
New graves and freshly dug holes for Ukrainian troopers line the sting of a cemetery in Kyiv on Aug. 24.
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New graves and freshly dug holes for Ukrainian troopers line the sting of a cemetery in Kyiv on Aug. 24.
Claire Harbage/NPR
Julian Hayda reported from Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ashley Westerman from Lviv and Elissa Nadworny from Kyiv. Polina Lytvynova contributed to this report.
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