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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on March 06, 2025

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A brief history of the Russia-Ukraine war

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS II - International relations

Context:

The Ukraine conflict has witnessed dramatic developments in recent weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump has brought in a 180-degree shift in U.S’s policy towards the war. Disagreements between Kyiv and Washington on how to end the war have led to an unprecedented public spat between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Mr. Trump in the Oval Office, following which the U.S. paused all military aid for the war-torn European nation

Read about:

U.S.’s policy on Ukraine and NATO

Russia - Ukraine War

Key Takeaways:

The war in Ukraine has seen significant changes in recent weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump has taken a completely different approach to America’s stance on the conflict. Disagreements between Kyiv and Washington over how to end the war led to a rare public dispute between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump in the Oval Office. Shortly afterward, the U.S. suspended all military aid to Ukraine. Within a day, Zelenskyy expressed regret over the disagreement and stated that Ukraine was open to a partial truce and working with Trump towards a lasting peace. As the geopolitical landscape shifts rapidly, Europe appears unprepared, while Russia remains observant as the conflict persists.

Origins of the War

When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, he likely anticipated a swift victory. Western nations, including the U.S., also expected a quick resolution and evacuated their embassies in Kyiv before the war began. However, Ukraine, armed with Western weapons, managed to prevent an early Russian victory. In response, the U.S. under the Biden administration adopted a dual strategy—imposing heavy sanctions on Russia to weaken its economy and military while supplying Ukraine with advanced weaponry. The strategy initially proved effective. By September 2022, Russian forces had retreated from Kharkiv Oblast in the northeast, and in November, they withdrew from Kherson city and parts of Mykolaiv in the south.

Despite these setbacks, Russia escalated its commitment to the war. Putin formally annexed four Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—and announced partial military mobilization. The Kremlin’s message was clear: Russia was prepared for a prolonged conflict. Economically, Russia shifted its focus to Asia, with major markets such as China and India helping to counterbalance the impact of Western sanctions.

Current Situation on the Battlefield

By 2023, the momentum of the war began shifting in Russia’s favor. Russian forces captured Soledar in January and Bakhmut in May after prolonged battles. By 2024, Russia intensified its offensives, securing Avdiivka in February, Krasnohorivka in September, and Vuhledar in October. Ukraine struggled to reclaim lost territories and its much-anticipated counteroffensive in June 2023, despite the use of advanced Western weapons, ultimately failed against Russia’s fortified defenses.

In August 2024, Ukraine launched a surprise attack, seizing around 1,000 square kilometers of Russian territory in the Kursk region. The objective was to divert Russian troops from eastern Ukraine, where they were advancing. However, Russia did not take the bait and continued pushing forward in the east, targeting Ukraine’s weaker defenses. By the end of 2024, Russian forces had gained an estimated 4,168 square kilometers of territory in Ukraine and parts of Russia’s Kursk region. In January 2025, Russian troops took control of Velyka Novosilka and portions of Toretsk