Fierce battles in 2014-2015 ended with one third of the regions' territory, its most urbanised part, occupied by two Russian proxy statelets, the self-described Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. Over the course of eight years, Ukrainian government forces fought Russian-backed separatists for control over much of the two heavily industrialised regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, also known as Donbas. Between then and early 2022, it had already killed over 14,000 people. The armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine started in 2014. This provides crucial background for understanding what is happening today. The visual explainer below focuses not on the full-scale escalation that began on 24 February, but on fighting in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine that began in 2014. Crisis Group will be covering this crisis in depth as it develops. Ukraine's president declared martial law, vowing stiff resistance, as Western powers condemned Moscow's actions. Book traversal links for 5.3.2.On 24 February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine on several fronts beginning a major invasion. The section indiscriminate violence in Syria provides further analysis and guidance with regard to the armed conflicts taking place on the territory of Syria at governorate level. Israel is engaged in a non-international armed conflict in Syria with the Hezbollah.Türkiye is engaged in a non-international armed conflict in Syria with Kurdish forces and with ISIL.Non-international armed conflicts on Syrian territory further included ongoing infighting between various non-State armed groups.Syria continued to be involved in several non-international armed conflicts with various anti-GoS armed groups, most notably HTS, the SNA, the SDF and ISIL.Syria continued to be involved in an international armed conflict with Israel as well, who has been conducting air strikes on Iranian targets in Syria without the consent of the GoS, and controls parts of Syria.

Syria continued to be involved in an international armed conflict with Türkiye, who has carried out military operations against GoS, ISIL and Kurdish armed groups in Syria, and controls parts of northern Syria with the help of anti-GoS armed groups.Syria continued to be involved in an international armed conflict with the US-led coalition against ISIL, due to the coalition’s military intervention in Syria without the consent of the GoS.There are multiple overlapping non-international (internal) and international armed conflicts taking place in Syria:

Map of current armed conflicts