Photos: Six months of Russia’s war in Ukraine | In Pictures News

Six months ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on a “special military operation” – a mass invasion on a scale unseen in Europe since World War II.

The United Nations says 5,587 civilians have been killed and 7,890 wounded in the war that began on February 24, although the estimate is likely an undercount. The UN children’s agency said on Monday that at least 972 Ukrainian children have been killed or injured in half a year, but again, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said “we believe the number to be much higher”.

As Russia pounded Ukrainian cities, millions took flight in the fastest-growing refugee crisis in generations. More than 6.6 million refugees have been recorded across Europe, most in neighbouring countries, which opened their arms.

The war is now focused mainly on eastern and southern Ukraine, where Kyiv has promised to recapture the biggest swath of seized territory.