In March of 2014, Russian-backed separatists began to forcibly take control of large areas of east Ukraine. They started riots, invaded government buildings and set up roadblocks. They were opposed to the Ukraine revolution, favouring the ousted pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. With him gone and the country moving towards Europe, the separatists took up arms.
With the help of Russian-supplied firepower such as tanks and Grad missiles, the separatists fought off Ukrainian troops. The insurgency turned into a full-scale war. At that time, the Ukrainians were poorly trained and ill equipped. After nearly three years of conflict, though, they’ve grown battle hardened and have fought to regain ground. They’ve pushed the separatists back to their stronghold in the Donbas – a large coal-mining district that borders Russia to the east. Now, however, with the conflict’s second official ceasefire underway, both sides are dug in. This has turned the war into a slow but constant battle from the trenches.
