Russian President Vladimir Putin's "special military operation” into Ukraine began on Feb. 24, with troops crossing the border from Belarus and Russia. Moscow's forces have since been met with “stiff resistance” from Ukrainians, according to U.S. officials.
Russian forces retreated last week from the Kyiv suburbs, leaving behind a trail of destruction. After graphic images emerged of civilians lying dead in the streets of Bucha, U.S. and European officials accused Russian troops of committing war crimes.
A look at the two leaders at the center of the war in Ukraine and how they both rose to power, the difference in their leadership and what led to this moment in history.
Here's how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Mar 23, 2022, 8:26 PM EDT
Russian humanitarian resolution on Ukraine defeated in UN
The United Nations Security Council defeated a resolution put forward by Russia on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
In a symbolic gesture, 13 members of the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday abstained from voting on the resolution, which made no mention of Russia's role in creating the crisis and had been roundly criticized by members. Only Russia and China voted in favor.
No country voted against it, including the veto-wielding United States, United Kingdom or French envoys.
"To be honest, it was not necessary to veto, and I don't think the resolution that was put before us was worthy of the U.S. using its precious veto power," U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
-ABC News' Conor Finnegan
Mar 23, 2022, 7:48 PM EDT
Zelenskyy marks 1 month of war with plea for global support
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked the one-month anniversary of Russia's invasion by calling on the world's population to publicly and peacefully show their support for Ukraine.
"The war of Russia is not only the war against Ukraine, its meaning is much wider," Zelenskyy said, pivoting from speaking in Ukrainian to English during his latest address. "Russia started the war against freedom as it is."
"This is only the beginning for Russia on the Ukrainian land," he continued. "Russia is trying to defeat the freedom of all people in Europe, of all the people in the world. It tries to show that only crude and cruel force matters. It tries to show that people do not matter as well as everything else that make us people. That's the reason we all must stop Russia."
He urged the global community to "stand against the war" on March 24 -- the one-month anniversary of the start of the invasion.
"Come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities. Come in the name of peace. Come with Ukrainian symbols to support Ukraine, to support freedom, to support life," he said. "Come to your squares, your streets. Make yourselves visible and heard. Say that people matter. Freedom matters. Peace matters. Ukraine matters."
-ABC News' Desiree Adib
Mar 23, 2022, 7:07 PM EDT
Ukraine's UN ambassador details 'humanitarian disaster'
The Ukrainian ambassador called attention to the humanitarian crisis that's unfolded in the weeks following Russia's invasion during an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, permanent representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, speaks during a meeting of the UN General Assembly, on March 23, 2022, at United Nations headquarters in New York.
John Minchillo/AP
"Tomorrow will be another symbolic date, a month since the lives of millions of Ukrainians were split in two parts," Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said while speaking on a resolution put forward by Ukraine. "A peaceful past full of joy and positive plans, and the present with war, suffering, death, and destruction. Thousands of Ukrainians have lost their lives over this month -- young and old, women and men, civilians and military."
Kyslytsya further detailed the "humanitarian disaster" caused by the war.
"People are starving to death in the occupied or besieged areas. People are being killed in their attempt to flee from conflict-affected areas. Cities are razed to the ground by shelling and airstrikes," he said.
A hospital hit by the Russian shelling is heavily damaged in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, March 22, 2022.
Bulent Kilic/AFP via Getty Images
The ambassador urged countries to vote in favor of the resolution put forward by his country, entitled "Humanitarian Consequences of the Aggression Against Ukraine."
"It will be critical to prevent the spillover effect for the entire world," he said. "That is why the text also mentions the impact of the conflict on food security globally, in particular in the least-developed countries, as well as energy security."
-ABC News' Zoha Qamar
Mar 23, 2022, 5:18 PM EDT
Ukraine military forcing Russia into 'defensive position' near Kyiv: US official
Russian forces west of Kyiv are “digging in” and moving into a "defensive position," according to a senior U.S. defense official.
"It's not that they're not advancing, they're actually not trying to advance right now," the official told reporters Wednesday. "They're taking more defensive positions."
East of Kyiv, Ukrainian forces near Brovary have pushed the Russians "back to about 55 km" (roughly 34 miles) east and northeast of Kyiv, according to the official. That update comes a day after the official said Russian forces had stalled at between 20 and 30 miles east and northeast of Kyiv.
Ukrainian authorities claimed earlier Wednesday that they have managed to encircle the Russian forces that had advanced on Kyiv and were in some key towns on the edge of the capital. They said they had managed to push back Russian troops from the northwestern town of Irpin, although it was still being shelled.
