These Battles and Major Moments have Shaped a Brutal Year of War in Ukraine

The weeks-long battle for Kyiv matters because "they were able to show that they were up to the fight — 'Give us the tools and we'll do the job' kind of thing," Jim Townsend, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO Policy, told Insider. This helped to earn Ukraine the respect and support from Western countries that have sustained its war effort.

Not only did Ukraine prevent Russia from sacking its capital, but it also managed to force Russian troops to retreat from the entire region.

Read the full story and more from Business Insider.