By Brad Needham
After months of threats, of world leaders warning an invasion of Ukraine was imminent, one year ago today, Feb. 24, 2022, Russia began an unprovoked war. Many thought the super power would roll over Ukraine. But one year later the war continues, with surprisingly little change, other than the tragic and large-scale loss of life on both sides and massive destruction in Ukraine. One year ago, the invasion dominated newspaper front pages. It dominated it for weeks. But, as happens with long-running stories, it started to fall off the front, and move inside newspapers, or down media home pages. Certain events would bring it back to the front. Media have tried to keep the war in the collective consciousness. Today, one year since the invasion, the sombre anniversary has brought the war back to newspaper front pages all over the world.
As I Tweeted out a few pages today, as a journalist, for a second, I debated the hashtag #RussiaInvadedUkraine, worried about showing bias. But reporting facts is not bias. Russia invaded Ukraine. And newspapers have not shied away from that.
Today, Poland delivered the first Leopard tank to Ukraine. Most of the world still stands behind Ukraine.
Here is a selection of some of the stronger front pages marking the anniversary.
Jyllands-Posten front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Viby, Denmark
Dagens Nyheter front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Stockholm
The New York Times front page, Feb. 24, 2023
Newspaper front pages from when the war began
Toronto Star front page, Feb. 24, 2023
Augsburger Allgemeine front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Augsburg, Germany
Het Financieele Dagblad front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Amsterdam
National Post front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Canada
Folha De S.Paulo front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Sao Paulo, Brazil
De Morgen front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Brussels
Algemeen Dagblad front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Luxemburger Wort front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
de Volkskrant front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Amsterdam
Der Tagesspiegel front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Berlin
Ara front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Barcelona, Spain
Kleine Zeitung front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Graz, Austria
The Indianapolis Star front page, Feb. 24, 2023, Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.