German Padinger

(CNN Spanish) – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fifth day and fighting continues in different parts of the country, while at the same time delegates from Moscow and Kyiv are holding talks to try to end the conflict. This is the chronology of events.

The fighting began on Thursday last week, when Russian troops – from Russia and Belarus – crossed the border at various points and invaded Ukraine, after months of tension and increased military strength.

Why did Russia finally invade Ukraine?

Base data

Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that gained independence in 1991, has historically difficult relations with neighbor Russia, and in recent decades has moved closer to the European Union and NATO, which were formed in 1949 to fight the Soviet Union.

Ukraine celebrates small victory in Kharkiv 2:07

In 2014 Russia invaded and annexed the Crimean peninsula, part of Ukraine, and months later pro-Russian rebels rose up in the east of the country, formed the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk—backed by Moscow—and started the civil war that is still lingering.

The coming to power of Ukrainian president Volodymir Zelensky, close to the West, in 2019, started a new wave of tension, and in late 2021 Russia began deploying troops, vehicles and aircraft on the border with Ukraine before the invasion.

Timeline of the invasion of Ukraine

February 21 – Russian President Vladimir Putin signs a decree recognizing the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic in Ukraine’s Donbas region in a ceremony broadcast on state television. The announcement came after a lengthy speech in which he accused the United States and NATO of trying to turn Ukraine into a military outpost to threaten Russia.

February 24 – Putin announces the start of “special military operations” in Ukraine. Soon after, Russian troops crossed the border and invaded the country, while bombings were reported on major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv, and the Chernobyl nuclear plant annexed by Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered general military mobilization “to ensure the defense of the country, maintain combat readiness and mobilization of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and other military formations.”

UNHCR explains what will happen to people leaving Ukraine 1:51

February 25 – Russian troops advance from the north, east and south in major cities, and the Ukrainian resistance hardens. Meanwhile, the European Union and the United States among others announced new sanctions against Russia targeting the country’s financial, energy and transportation sectors, as well as visa policies.

February 26 – The United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada announce the expulsion of certain Russian banks from SWIFT, the highly secure network connecting thousands of financial institutions worldwide.

The battle for Kyiv, the capital, began, and Zelensky promised that Ukraine would stand firm and reject the US offer to evacuate.

February 27 – Putin orders his country’s deterrence forces, which include nuclear weapons, to be on high alert, drawing strong criticism from Western powers and NATO.

Russian troops faced “hard resistance” and their momentum slowed in northern Ukraine, while troops had “slightly more success” in the south, a US defense official said.

February 28 – Talks between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations on the situation ended, Russian state media reported, and the second round of negotiations was announced. Meanwhile, Russian troops are “continuing to try” to seize Ukrainian territory across the country, according to the Ukrainian military.

Zelensky, for his part, called on the European Union to “immediately recognize Ukraine” into the bloc.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.