Ukraine crisis: Five maps to explain Russian invasion

Russia Vladimir Putin deny, for months, say im dey plan attack on Ukraine.

However for one live television broadcaston Thursday im announce "military operations" for Ukraine Donbas region.

Not long afta dis attack reports of explosions for Ukraine capital Kyiv and oda parts of di kontri follow.

Russia don deploy at least 200,000 troops near Ukraine border wit Ukraine in recent months.

Still-on-still, di history between di two kontris go far back pass like dis.

Russia do invade Ukraine, and dis maps help explain how we get to dis point.

Tension between Russia and Ukraine get long and complex geopolitical history, so we don chart am wit maps to help understand di crisis.

1. How Nato and Russia don change since di collapse of USSR

One association of European and North American states form di North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) for 1949.

Nato na defence move against wetin dem bin see as Soviet aggression.

During dat time, both Russia and Ukraine bin be part of di communist Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

Since di collapse of USSR for 1991, Russia don watch as Nato expand toward im borders as more kontris - including former Soviet kontris - join di organisation.

Nato now get 30 members - and im expansion don make Russia angry.

Ukraine don show signs say im dey move towards Nato and oda European institutions, including EU.

But President Putin claim say di kontri na puppet of di West and im dey see modern Ukraine as an illegitimate kontri wey communist Russia create.

Im don demand guarantee make Ukraine no join Nato and also make dem no get military plus become neutral state.

Nato and Ukraine don reject dis demands. Last Saturday, before Russia take military action, President Volodymyr Zelensky call for "clear, feasible timeframe" for im kontri to join di alliance.

2. Russia seize Ukrainian territory for Crimea

For 2014, Ukraine become divided afta em remove di pro-Russian president and pipo enta road to protest all ova di kontri.

Putin begin to turn di screw against Ukraine as response to im decision to dey close to di west.

Russia tak over Crimea, one peninsula for south of di kontri and home to many Russian-speaking Ukraine pipo.

Dis peninsula also include di di geopolitically important port of Sevastapol.

Russia don face punishment alias sanctions from Western kontris since dis move.

But e continue to inspire pro-Russian sentiment for di Donbas region.

Plus, dem give support to rebel separatist forces for di area, wey contain big populations of ethnic Russians.

3. Russia masstroops for Ukraine border

Satellite images from November show one build up of Russian troops for im border wit Ukraine.

For December, US President Joe Biden warn of sanctions if Russia cari out any attack against dia neighbour[Ukraine].

While Putin respond wit security demands say make Nato stop all activity for Eastern Europe.

Di numbers of troops continue to increase, leading to international diplomatic crisis wit world leaders.

US President Joe Biden, UK Boris Johnson and France Emmanuel Macron dey all call make Russia withdraw im forces.

By mid-February, di US estimate say 150,000 troops bin base along Ukraine border wit Russia and Belarus.

4. Russia recognise two separatist areas for Ukraine

On Monday, Putin make dramatic decision to officially recognise two breakaway self-declared states wey Russia dey support.

Dat na Luhansk and Donetsk for eastern Ukraine as independent states.

Afta small time im later order troops to go di area to "maintain peace".

Na groups wey many dey see as Russia pally dem dey run dis so-called people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

Putin decree recognise dem as independent, and im move to base Russian troops dia, push di crisis for di region enta new levels.

5. Russia launch invasion

At 05.55am Moscow time (02.55am GMT) Putin address im pipo for pre-dawn television statement say Russia no plan to occupy Ukraine.

Putin den demand say make im military put down dia guns, say clashes na only a matter of time.

Di Russian leader add say if any intervention come from outside powers to resist di Russian attack, dem go meet am wit "instant response".

Some time later, dem report attacks for Ukrainian military targets across di kontri and Ukraine say Russia don launch "full-scale" invasion.

Report of missile strikes and explosions dey come from several parts of di kontri, including im capital Kyiv.

Ukraine don declare martial law - which means say di military go takes control temporarily - and e don cut diplomatic ties wit Russia.

Ukraine President Zelensky ask Russians to protest against di invasion and say dem go distribute weapons to anyone for Ukraine wey want dem.