A brief history of Russia's conflict with the Ukraine

Putin declared war on Ukraine after launching a "full-scale invasion" in the east of the country. Shortly after, explosions were reported in the outskirts of Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Mariupol and the capital Kiev.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has since introduced martial law on all territories of the state while also urging people to stay at home where they can.

"No panic. We're strong. We're ready for anything. We'll defeat everyone because we are Ukraine," he said in a video statement.

The tensions date back to 2014 when the pro-Moscow Ukrainian government of Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown. This prompted fears in the Kremlin that the country was moving into the orbit of the West.

Putin responded by sending troops to annex Crimea, a territory of Ukraine. They also backed a rebellion led by pro-Russia separatists in the eastern Donbas region, which led to 14,000 deaths.

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Ukraine's last pro-Russia leader was overthrown by mass protests which prompted Russia to seize Crimea. They also backed a rebellion led by pro-Russia separatists in the eastern Donbas region, which led to 14,000 deaths.

Russia backed Yanukovych in the crisis, while the US and EU supported the protesters.

In March 2014, Russian troops formally annexed the peninsula when Crimeans voted to join the Russian Federation in a disputed local referendum. Putin said he needed to protect the rights of Russian speakers and citizens in Crimea and southeast Ukraine.

The crisis heightened when pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine held a referendum to declare independence from Ukraine.

Violence erupted in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatist forces and the Ukrainian military – but Moscow denied any involvement.

In July, it escalated into an international crisis putting the US and EU at odds with Russia when a Malaysian Airlines flight was shot down over Ukrainian airspace, killing all passengers. Air accident investigators concluded that a Russian-built surface-to-air missile had struck the plane.

It appears unlikely that Ukraine will get Crimea back.

Russia used the same strategy and logic to the present crisis in Ukraine, with Georgia in 2008.

In August 2008, Russian forces began the invasion of Georgia, following a period of worsening relations between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

The Georgian war coincided with the Bejing Olympic games. Putin waited until the games were over before deepening the crisis by recognising the independence of the "peoples' republics" of Donetsk and Luhansk.

The five-day-long conflict ended with Russian troops within striking distance of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital – and Moscow suffered very few consequences.

Over 13 years later, Russia still occupies 20 per cent of Georgia's territory.

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