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The Russian invasion of Ukraine (Russian aggression against Ukraine, Russian-Ukraine war, "special military operation") began on February 24, 2022, at about 5 am Kyiv time. The events were preceded by a concentration of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border and a crisis in relations between Russia and Ukraine. On February 21, Russia recognized the independence of the previously unrecognized Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, which since 2014 have been at war for full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.