Ukraine went through a difficult and tragic year in 2024, full of challenges at the front and in the rear. Heavy fighting, loss of territory, and destruction of energy infrastructure have become a harsh reality. Nevertheless, the country continues to fight for its sovereignty, while demonstrating to the world its resilience and ability to act decisively.
This year, the Ukrainian Defence Forces moved combat operations to the territory of Russia, in particular to the Kursk region. They attacked oil refineries, military facilities, airfields and other targets using domestically produced drones. F-16 fighter jets have also joined the arsenal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and are already taking part in combat operations.
For a detailed analysis of Ukraine’s losses and achievements in 2024, read our review.
The year 2024 was a serious test for Ukraine. The widely announced counter-offensive of 2023 did not achieve the expected results, and the country faced new losses of territory, constant shelling of civilian towns, villages and critical infrastructure. Massive attacks, during which more than a hundred missiles and drones are fired at Ukraine simultaneously, have become a common reality for a country that is confronting Russian aggression.
The situation was further complicated by the limited amount of Western assistance at the beginning of the year. Washington delayed the approval of a support package worth more than $60 billion, and the announced deliveries of weapons and air defence systems were delayed. Against this backdrop, mobilisation slowed, and fatigue was increasingly evident among Ukrainian defenders.
Hostilities
In 2024, the Russians managed to seize the initiative in many parts of the frontline, using significant reserves of manpower. In February, Ukrainian troops were forced to leave Avdiivka. This direction, along with Pokrovsk, became one of the most difficult: in October, Russian troops occupied Selydove. Despite this, Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad remain under Ukrainian control.
In the Donetsk region, the losses were particularly painful: in October, Russians captured Vuhledar after more than 700 days of heroic defence. The situation is difficult at the Vremivsk and Kurakhove directions. In addition, Russian troops have retaken a number of villages in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
In May 2024, the frontline expanded in a new direction – to the Kharkiv region. Russian troops attempted to capture Vovchansk, broke through the border and planned an attack on Kharkiv. However, Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled the enemy, holding the city’s defences for over 200 days. In late spring and early summer, extremely fierce fighting took place in this area. Vovchansk was completely destroyed by Russian shelling, but the occupiers failed to capture it.
Meanwhile, the situation in the Kupiansk sector has become much more complicated. Russian troops continue their offensive, trying to break through to Dvorichna.
According to analysts, in 2024, Russian forces seized an area of about 2,800 square kilometres, equivalent to three areas of Kyiv.
Energy and civilian infrastructure
Ukraine’s energy sector lost 10 gigawatts of capacity in 2024, survived 12 massive attacks with missiles and drones, and several blackout seasons.
On 21 November, the Russian army fired an intercontinental ballistic missile at the Dnipro River for the first time. In particular, a video that has been leaked online allegedly shows the ‘arrivals’ of six warheads of this missile, which the Russians called ‘Oreshnik’.
УДАР МІЖКОНТИНЕНТАЛЬНИМИ РАКЕТАМИ ПО УКРАЇНІ.
— Юрій Пивовар (@ZloyBanderovets) November 21, 2024
Захарова вранці давала брифінг. Їй зателефонувало начальство й попросило не коментувати удар міжконтинентальними балістичними ракетами "Рубєж" по Дніпру сьогодні вночі. Тупа дупа не здогадалася хоча б прикрити мікрофони лапкою. pic.twitter.com/6qviqoOBmO
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the new Oreshnik ballistic missile cannot be shot down. He also proposed to conduct a ‘technological experiment’ and identify the target in Kyiv:
‘Let them identify targets in Kyiv, concentrate all air defence systems there, and we will strike with the Oreshnik and see what happens.’
The Russians also targeted civilians. Every day, they destroy towns and villages in the frontline and border regions, and bring trouble to other, relatively safe, regions of the country. The attack on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv on 8 July was another blow that shocked the world once again.
On the evening of 28 October, one of the entrances to Derzhprom in Kharkiv was damaged by a Russian airstrike. Derzhprom is a monument of national importance and a world example of avant-garde architecture. In 2023, UNESCO added the Derzhprom building to the list of sites for enhanced protection.
The Kursk operation
The Kursk operation came as a surprise to both Ukrainians and Ukraine’s partners. It was lightning fast, according to experts, and destroyed the myths about Putin’s ‘red lines’. At that time, the Ukrainian military managed to enter 984 square kilometres of Russian territory. It took the Kremlin several months to recover from the counterattack and to rally its forces.
The situation deteriorated in late October, and in November, the Russians began to regain their territory. At the same time, the DPRK entered the war on the side of the Russian Federation. North Korean troops appeared in the Kursk region. It was about 10,000 people who were sent to the Russian-Ukrainian war. Last week, South Korean intelligence reported losses of DPRK troops: more than 1,000 killed and wounded.
Today, very heavy fighting continues in this area. According to the Associated Press, they are so intense that the Ukrainian military cannot take their fallen comrades from the battlefield. Soldiers and officers told the agency that they have few opportunities for counterattacks. The Ukrainians have lost 40% of the territory they seized in the summer.
After the emergence of this frontline, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the operation in Kursk region would allow Ukraine to strengthen its negotiating position in the event of a diplomatic settlement. The military also hoped that the Russians would start withdrawing from the Donetsk sector, where the situation has always been very difficult.
Defence industry: innovations and technologies
At the beginning of 2024, weapons, as Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, were flown from Ukraine to the territory of the Russian Federation only with their own development. The Armed Forces of Ukraine targeted not only oil refineries, but also tried to reach military facilities, arsenals, and airfields.
The Ukrainian authorities do not disclose details of what they have managed to create. But developers tell various media outlets on condition of anonymity that Ukrainian-made drones can cover a range of 1,000 to 3,000 km. One example is the explosions at the Olenya airfield in the Murmansk region, which is located 1,800 km from the Ukrainian border.
- What Ukraine produced in 2024:
‘Palianytsia’
This year, Ukraine has demonstrated two drone missile developments. The first, on Independence Day, was the Palianytsia. According to Zelenskyy, it is a weapon of a ‘completely new class’. Then, on 24 August, this drone missile was successfully used for the first time, hitting a Russian military facility in the temporarily occupied territory.
‘Peklo’
More is known about the Peklo drone missile, which was presented on Armed Forces Day. According to German Smetanin, the Minister of Strategic Industries, this missile can fly at a speed of 700 km/h and a distance of up to 700 km.
Drone ‘Liutyi’
Although the Liutyi drone first became known in October 2022, when Ukroboronprom announced its development, it has been in active use since early 2024. These drones are used to attack primary oil refineries, which are essential for the operation of refineries.
According to CNN, the accuracy of the Liutyi is ensured by artificial intelligence, which helps it navigate in space and avoid obstacles. ‘Liutyi is fully autonomous, meaning it can determine its route and adjust it on its own.
This year, ground-based robotic systems have also begun to appear on the frontline in large numbers. In early December, the 13th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine ‘Khartiia’ conducted the first fully robotic operation against the Russian military in the Kharkiv sector.
At the same time, since mid-summer, the Ukrainian government has been very active in voicing the need for permission to fire long-range missiles deep into Russian territory at military targets. It took Ukraine several months to get this permission from any of its partners, and Western leaders had to go through several rounds of consultations. In November, Ukraine received permission from France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Germany has yet to do so.
F-16s in defence of Ukraine
In 2024, F-16 fighter jets will appear in Ukrainian skies. The first aircraft were announced by Volodymyr Zelenskiy in early August. The number of air defence systems is also increasing. Ukraine’s partners have become more active after the Russians began to mercilessly destroy energy infrastructure.
Since the beginning of August, Ukrainian F-16s have taken part in repelling four massive Russian missile and drone strikes and, according to various estimates, shot down about three dozen air targets.
Unfortunately, there was a tragedy. During a combat mission to repel one of the most massive missile strikes in late August, military pilot Oleksiy Mes, call sign Moonfish, was killed at the controls of a US fighter jet.
Help from partners
The US aid package worth more than $60 billion was only agreed in April 2024, and Kyiv had been waiting for these funds since the autumn of 2023. Although the West has always promised Ukraine support and countries have signed security agreements, there are now 27 of them. The administration of the current US President Joe Biden wants to transfer all the aid promised in this package before the end of his term. For example, on 30 December, Ukraine received $2.5 billion in security assistance from the White House. However, after Donald Trump’s inauguration, the situation with US aid may be disappointing: there is a possibility that support will stop.
In November, Donald Trump won the election and will become the next president of the United States. During his election campaign, he repeatedly said that if he became president, he would end the war in Ukraine ‘in 24 hours’.
In 2024, the West decided to use the frozen assets of the Russian Federation to provide financial support to Ukraine. But for now, the G7 leaders have agreed to use the profits from the frozen funds. It is a $50 billion loan that will be reimbursed by profits from Russian assets.
The European Union has decided on a multi-year support programme for Ukraine, the Ukraine facility, no matter how hard Hungary tries to block this issue. According to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, it will provide €50 billion in funding over 2024-2027. The money will be spent to support the state budget and stimulate investment.
Western partners are allocating funds to help Ukraine’s energy system and defence industry. For example, the other day, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov announced €150 million from Denmark, France and Lithuania for the development of the complex.
On 20 December, the IMF Board of Directors approved the sixth review of the EFF programme for Ukraine. The total funding in this area reached $9.8 billion.
Peace summit
Since 2023, Ukraine has been preparing for the Global Peace Summit, through which it wants to implement all the points of Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s Peace Formula. Meetings at the level of national security advisers were held regularly in different countries, and the number of participants was constantly increasing. On 15-16 June, Ukraine and Switzerland held the first Global Peace Summit.
Representatives of more than 93 countries from different continents came to the Summit. 56 countries were represented by prime ministers and presidents. The Ukrainian authorities presented this format as one that should become the main platform for a peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war. And the President’s Peace Formula is an action plan that could provide Ukraine with a sustainable, just and lasting peace.
In the summer, it was promised that the second summit would take place by the end of this year. At the time, it was assumed that it would be attended by representatives of Russia, who would be given Ukraine’s proposals and demands. But this did not happen.
In 2024, Ukraine tried to engage in dialogue not only with Western partners but also with representatives of the so-called Global South. One of the most significant events on this track was the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine on the eve of Ukraine’s Independence Day, 23 August.
Meeting of the President of Ukraine with the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 23 August 2024 / Photo by the Office of the President
Domestic policy
The new mobilisation rules, the activities of the TCC and the JV were among the main triggers that led to social explosions in society. Ukrainians are still trying to illegally cross the border. And on the streets of Ukrainian cities and villages, people are still checking the records of people liable for military service, after which they are often taken to military hospital commissions.
This year, a new ironic neologism, ‘Busification’, has emerged in the Ukrainian information space, when representatives of the TCC forcefully load men of military age onto a bus on the street and take them to a recruitment centre.
In an interview with ArmyInform, Oleksandr Zavitnevych, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defence and Intelligence, said that the law on mobilisation had a positive impact on the security situation. After it came into force, ‘the number of mobilised people increased many times over,’ and millions of people liable for military service updated their data. They did this in the CCC and through the Reserve+ service, which also appeared in 2024. According to Zavitnevych, the law will be changed in the future: everything will depend on the events at the front.
Taxes
Another document that was voted on in the Verkhovna Rada to the accompaniment of discussions in Ukrainian society was the Law on Tax Increase No. 4015. It increased the rate of military tax for individuals and established a military tax for individual entrepreneurs. ‘The change in the rate of military duty for individuals on wages, income from bank deposits, real estate rental, winnings and other income increases from 1.5% to 5%,’ the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine explained.
Starting from 1 January 2025, individual entrepreneurs of the first, second and fourth groups will pay the military tax, the rate of which is 10% of the minimum wage as of the beginning of the year. This is eight thousand hryvnias. Thus, the military tax will amount to UAH 800. At the same time, sole proprietors of the third group will pay one per cent of their turnover in the first quarter of 2025.
European integration
In 2024, Ukraine seems to be firmly on its way to the EU. Its legislation is being screened in Brussels. In November, the European Commission gave Kyiv a positive assessment in a 100-page report. It noted that Ukrainians are doing a lot despite the difficult conditions of the war and have done everything necessary to start negotiations. In 2025, Brussels plans to open the first clusters for negotiations.
Culture
On the night of 10-11 March, the 96th Academy Awards took place in Los Angeles. The Ukrainian film “20 Days in Mariupol”, directed by Mstislav Chernov, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. This is the first Oscar in the history of Ukraine. It was awarded for the film about the horrors in Mariupol, which was surrounded and shelled by Russians.
…And about sports
The 2024 Summer Olympics took place in Paris from 26 July to 11 August. At the XXXIII Summer Olympics, Ukraine was represented by 140 athletes who competed in 23 sports.
Ukraine finished the 2024 Olympics with twelve medals: three gold, five silver and four bronze.
They won gold: Olga Kharlan, Olena Kravatska, Alina Komashchuk and Yulia Bakastova (sabre fencing, team championship); Yaroslava Maguchikh (athletics, high jump) and Oleksandr Khyzhnyak (boxing, weight category up to 80 kg).
On the eve of the Olympics, in the same Paris, at the Diamond League stage, Yaroslava Maguchikh became the owner of the world record in women’s high jump! The Ukrainian jumper was the first in the world to clear 2.10m.
🏆 Ukrainian athlete Yaroslava Mahuchikh has officially become a world record holder
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) October 25, 2024
The International Federation ratified her triumphant high jump, which she made at the competition in Paris this summer, jumping 2.10 meters.
Mahuchikh thus broke Bulgarian athlete Stefka… pic.twitter.com/SIhSO85sFu
This year, our boxer Oleksandr Usyk met twice with the Englishman Tyson Fury. The first fight between them in May turned out to be the biggest in Usyk’s career: he was the first in the history of the division to unite four major titles at once – IBF, WBO, WBA and WBC – and inflicted the still undefeated Fury’s first defeat in his career.
On 21 December, in a rematch, Oleksandr Usyk defeated the British boxer again and received the status of ‘unified’ world champion. The fate of the fight was decided by the judges. The decision of all three judges was unanimous: 116-112 in favour of Usyk. The boxer dedicated the victory to his mother and ‘all the mothers of Ukraine’.
This, in our opinion, was the year 2024. The year 2025 is ahead. May it bring our country victory, stability and prosperity. We wish you strength, faith, love and harmony in your families. Together we will overcome all difficulties and build a future that future generations will be proud of.
Happy New Year, Ukraine!