Ukrainian leaders are hoping that the beginning of a long-awaited counterattack will liberate territory occupied by Russian troops for more than a year.

Ukraine is sending mixed signals about its long-anticipated counteroffensive, but its forces are on the move, and Russians are feeling the war more than ever.

US officials have stated there are signs that Ukraine may have launched an expected counter-offensive, but Kyiv has remained silent on its strategy. Source: The New York Times; Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukrainian Ground Forces Commander,

Ukraine has launched attacks at a number of points across the frontline with Russian forces – suggesting that its long-waited counteroffensive is finally kicking into gear. Officials in Kyiv were coy about the surge in military action, allowing the fog of war to cloud whether it marked the start of its push to reclaim land that Russia has occupied.

Zelensky is claiming progress while Russian President Vladimir Putin is saying that the counter-offensive is failing

Ukraine's military has launched its long-awaited counter-offensive against Russian forces, according to a senior officer near the front lines. After months of buildup to a campaign that could prove crucial in Kyiv’s bid to reclaim occupied territory,

Here are some of the pivotal events in the course of the conflict, leading up to Ukraine's counterattack.