Russo-Ukraine war marks one year; Russia doubled its military budget since 2021

During 2019-2021, Russia increased its military spending, and in 2021 its military budget doubled compared to the previous 2020, reaching almost $ 66 billion, which is 4.1% of the Russian GDP.

Starting in July 2021, the public rhetoric of the Kremlin has become increasingly frank and aggressive, and joint strategic exercises with the controlled Russian Federation of Belarus are increasingly active and massive.

In late February, the events began to unfold rapidly: apparently, the military and political leadership of the Russian Federation reached an agreement on the date of the attack.

On February 22, 2022, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the recognition of the independence of individual areas of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine, occupied by Russian troops.

On February 23, Russian armed formations appealed to the Russian government to enter troops into the territory of these temporarily occupied Russian Federation separate districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

On February 24, 2022, from 4 am, the battalion-tactical groups of the Russian army began a large-scale assault on the border areas of Ukraine simultaneously from the north, east and south.

The fact of armed aggression, the government of Ukraine the decision was made to enter the country of martial law, which is still ongoing.

With the help of foreign partners like the USA, France, Germany, Poland and other EU states, the Ukrainian government and society continue to defend its territories from Russian offensives.

Since February 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has taken 27% of Ukrainian territory, almost 119,000 km2.

Armed Forces of Ukraine informed that on Friday, February 24, at 11:00, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland government will announce a nationwide moment of silence marking a year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

UK government announces a national one-minute silence today, marking a year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. UK and Northern Ireland Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are expected to lead the nation in silence from Downing Street.

Since the beginning of the war, thousands of Ukrainian individuals and soldiers have died in the conflict with Russia, which is still ongoing. As millions fled from their homes in order to save their lives, 114 400 Ukrainians found refuge in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

On February 20 2023, King Charles III visited Ukrainian recruits being trained in Britain under the leadership of the British Land Forces and the Armed Forces of international partners. More than 10,000 Ukrainian troops are undergoing training.

The primary teaching of the exercise is to survive in hostile environments, weapon handling and recoil control, targeting, field tactics, first aid and armed conflict law.