this is the summary of what you should know

Russian war in Ukraine: one month from the start 5:05

(CNN Español) — It seemed impossible that a full-scale war would break out once more in Europe, and that Russia would once once more be at the center. But it happened. On February 24, Russian troops invaded Ukraine and since then, the fighting and suffering for the Ukrainian population have not stopped.

This Thursday marks exactly one month since the first Russian tanks crossed the border. Now, with the Russian advance slowing down –Ukraine still controls major cities– and as the talks progress, the world wonders if there may be peace on the horizon or if the war has, in fact, just begun.

Here’s what you need to know regarding the Russian-initiated war in Ukraine.

Why did Russia invade Ukraine?

After months of tension and escalation between Russia and Ukraine, with more than 150,000 soldiers, equipped with armored vehicles deployed on the border, and reports of exchanges of fire between Ukrainians and pro-Russian rebels in the Donbas region, Moscow finally invaded: announced on February 24 the start of special military operations in Ukraine.

Days before, Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, had recognized the separatist territories in Ukraine – Donetsk and Luhansk, controlled by pro-Russian rebels since 2014 – and announced the sending of soldiers to Donbas, further inflaming tensions.

The situation has political, historical and strategic edges. This is a take a look at each of them.

Timeline, data and history of Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest European country in area following Russia. It borders Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, Russia, and the Black Sea in Eastern Europe.

These are some general information regarding the country which is now under the watchful eye of the world.

Also, here you can read more regarding the tense history between Ukraine and Russiaand also regarding the connections from the former Soviet Union with the crisis.

Who exactly is Vladimir Putin?

This is a look at the life of vladimir putinelected in 2000 as president of Russia and the man who ordered the invasion of Ukraine.

Here, moreover, are the reasons why Putin has blamed NATO for the crisis.

Is Vladimir Putin the richest man in the world? 4:20

What are war crimes and who can judge them?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has once once more put the focus on war crimes, their definition and the possibility of prosecuting their perpetrators.

These are basic facts and history of war crimesincluding who can be prosecuted and by what bodies.

The arsenals faced

The military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine they are so unbalanced that Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, implored his Western allies at the start of the conflict to do more than impose sanctions to get Russian troops off Ukrainian soil. A true David versus Goliath fight.

But Ukraine receives arms shipments from NATO countries, and the situation has caused an escalation of tensions between the United States – the main member of the Atlantic Alliance – and Russia. In this case, the armed forces of both powers are closer to equilibrium.

This has been, day by day, the war in Ukraine

This is the Chronology and some basic data of the conflictfrom the Russian invasion that occurred on February 24 until today, which has left thousands of military dead and civilians.

The talks between Russia and Ukraine

Just four days following the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian and Russian representatives met for a first round of talks in an attempt to find a way to end hostilities.

Since that first meeting in Belarus, which took place the 28th of Februaryanother four were held between representatives of Ukraine and Russia, in addition to a meeting between Foreign Ministers Dmytro Kuleba and Sergey Lavrov.

This is what we know regarding the various rounds of talks and the party positions.

This is Poland, the country that is receiving the most refugees

Located in the heart of Europe, Poland is the geographical and cultural crossroads between East and West. With a rich and turbulent history, World War II broke out in this country, home to thousands of Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. It was a satellite state of the Soviet Union and until the end of the 90s the communist regime came to an end.

Here, a look at this country which since February 2022 has welcomed more than half of the Ukrainians fleeing their country amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to data from the HIM-HER-ITmore than 3,500,000 people have left the country since the start of the war.

What is it like to assist Ukrainian refugees? 0:48

What effect can the war have in Latin America?

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has hit oil, gas and food prices hard, and its effects are being felt around the world. Furthermore, countries with significant relations with Russia also risk feeling the consequences of sanctions.

These are some possible effects in Latin America of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These are 5 possible scenarios for the end of the conflict

Two questions grab everyone’s attention right now. When will the end of the war in Ukraine and what will be the conclusion of the largest war conflict Europe has seen since World War II?

Here, five possible scenariosaccording to reports and expert opinions, for the end of a conflict that has left thousands dead and millions of refugees.