ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a historical context for the war, paying attention to the warfighting experiences of the opposing sides during the first eight years of the conflict. The chronology of the events is followed through the different experiences and learning points of both the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) and the Russian forces. This time frame is also explored for the reinforcement of the two militaries before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, the question of the Russian militarisation of Crimea is addressed. The three time frames of the war are identified as follows: the period of 2014–2015, which was the first stage of invasion; the annexation of Crimea and the orchestration of the ‘separatist’ war in Donbas. The 2016–January 2022 period can be identified as the interim stage of the frozen conflict, or the stage of reinforcement and build-up for the full-scale invasion. Accordingly, the third stage would be from the full-scale invasion of February 2022 until the present day.
