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Ukraine war
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Where Ukraine and Russia stand as war enters fifth year

Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II shows no signs of stopping any time soon

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Ukrainian war veterans, many of whom sustained severe injuries in combat, perform in a theatre production in Kyiv. Photo: AP
Agence France-Presse

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unleashing the deadliest war in Europe since World War II.

As the conflict reaches its four-year mark, here’s a look at the state of the conflict and some of the consequences for both countries.

Destruction

The war has resulted in widespread destruction in Ukraine.

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Entire cities in Ukraine’s east and south, among them Bakhmut, Toretsk and Vovchansk, have been reduced to rubble by fighting.

The World Health Organization has verified more than 2,800 attacks on healthcare facilities since 2022, while Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have cut heating and power to millions.

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Around a fifth of Ukraine is contaminated by mines or unexploded ordnance, according to the UN’s Mine Action Service.

The total cost of reconstruction in Ukraine is estimated at around US$588 billion over the next decade, the World Bank reported Monday.

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