Two and a half weeks of the war in Ukraine, thousands of dead and millions of refugees - but still no winner in sight. Even though Putin's army has been attacking Ukraine from three directions with 150,000 soldiers since February 24 (see map above), the Kremlin has so far only been able to achieve a fraction of its military goals. In front of Kyiv, the Russian advance turned into trench warfare; there was bitter fighting for every square kilometer in the east. Only in the south of Ukraine are Russian troops advancing "on schedule." Coming from Crimea, they have already taken control of a good two million Ukrainians.

How long can the Kyiv Fortress last?

Two and a half weeks after the fighting began, Kyiv (2.8 million) resembles a fortress. The Ukrainians have erected barricades on the streets of their capital, and around half the population has fled. Professional soldiers, conscripts, and volunteers worldwide want to defend Kyiv against the Russian aggressors.

Millions pass through Lviv.

The western Ukrainian metropolis of Lviv (720,000 inhabitants) has become the arrival and transit point for refugees from all over the country. More than two million people passed through the city by train, bus, or car to Poland. The refugees: women, children, and old people. Due to the general mobilization of Ukraine, the men must stay behind to defend their country.

The front runs in Irpin.

After days of heavy fighting, the front is in the northern suburbs (47,000 inhabitants) of Kyiv. On one side, Ukrainian defenders of the capital, Russian invaders, are advancing from Belarus. Under heavy fire, tens of thousands of people fled across the town in the direction of Kyiv. Many were shot trying to escape or died from Russian rocket and tank fire.

Zaporizhschja fears for his nuclear power plant

After the fighting near the nuclear power plant, Zaporizhia (750,000 inhabitants) and the surrounding area have become quieter. Russian soldiers are said to have largely withdrawn from the power plant site. The mayor appealed to the world public to end the Russian occupation. Zaporizhia has the most powerful nuclear power plant in Europe.

Sumy is surrounded

The town of Sumy in the northeast (265,000 inhabitants) was surrounded shortly after the war began. Since then, it has withstood the brutal onslaught of the Russian army. After all, more than 10,000 people were allowed to move west from Sumy as part of a "humanitarian corridor." Here, too, the men stay behind to defend their city down to the last bullet.

Borodyanka is conquered

The small town of Borodyanka (population 13,000) is about 50 kilometers west of Kyiv and has been held by Russian troops since the beginning of the week. Previously, Putin's army had destroyed mainly the center with heavy rockets and artillery. As a result, several ten-story apartment buildings collapsed utterly.

Kharkiv holds out

The eastern Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv (the country's second-biggest city with 1.5 million inhabitants) was heavily shelled. Reason: Russian troops did not manage to take it for a week. Ukrainian defenders routed the invaders. So, it's been a little quieter for a few days.

Dnipro was bombed

The city of Dnipro became the target of heavy Russian rocket attacks for the first time on Friday. A factory, an administration building, and a kindergarten were razed to the ground. Only because all three facilities were closed, there was only one dead and several injured.

Mass grave Mariupol

The Mariupol boiler has been closed for a week. As a result, almost half a million people are trapped in the city. Without electricity, without heating, without drinking water, bombed day and night. The Ukrainian foreign minister announced that there were 1,582 deaths in twelve days. To counteract infectious diseases, the victims of the Russian attacks are buried in mass graves.

Odessa mines the beaches

In the Black Sea metropolis of Odesa (993,000 inhabitants), things have mainly remained calm so far. Because the advance is halting, Russia has postponed its sea landing operation on the beaches of the port city. This gives the residents a chance to prepare for the attack. Thousands of volunteers have been filling Molotov cocktails for days, building barricades, and the army is mining the beaches.