Ukrainian civilians have been fleeing their country after Russia launched a full-scale invasion this week, with heavy artillery, missile strikes and troop mobilization in a multi-pronged ground assault across vast swaths of the country.
The move by Russian President Vladimir Putin is the largest conflict on the ground in Europe since the Second World War, and has been countered by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky cutting diplomatic ties with Russia, declaring martial law and ordering a full military mobilization set to last 90 days.
Russia far outstrips Ukraine in military terms 鈥 from raw numbers of troops to tactical gear and weapons.
According to Global Firepower, which analyzes data from 140 global military powers, Russia currently has 850,000 active personnel in its military, while Ukraine has 200,000. Russia also has five times as many tanks and two times as many armoured vehicles than Ukraine
Despite the numbers, Ukraine is determined to fight.
As Russian tanks roll towards the capital city of Kyiv, CTVNews.ca has interviewed leading military experts to explain how the invasion of Ukraine could potentially unfold on various fronts.
Keir Giles, an expert on the Russian military, told CTVNews.ca that Russia has spent a decade investing trillions into transforming its armed forces, and learned from their 2008 invasion of Georgia where their fine-tuning was needed.
鈥淭his has been an ongoing process, which has been refined by Russia鈥檚 experience of combat in Syria and in Ukraine itself,鈥 Giles, senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House in the U.K., said in a telephone interview Friday. 鈥淪yria in particular saw Russia testing out weapons systems, organizations, personnel [and] logistics.鈥
Giles said Russia鈥檚 core strengths lie in 鈥渢raditional muscle,鈥 with emphasis on artillery and missile strikes from a distance that deliver 鈥渁 huge punishing impact on the enemy before closing in for combat.鈥
Russia鈥檚 multi-pronged attack has seen troops move in from the north from Belarus and capture the nuclear plant of Chornobyl and the surrounding area, as well as advancements from the east out of separatist-controlled areas in Donbas and strikes from the south out of the Black Sea and Azov Sea into port cities of Odesa and Mariupol.
Troops are now reported to be heading to Ukraine鈥檚 capital city, Kyiv.
Russia also has a notorious reputation when it comes to mercenary and private militias, such as the Wagner Group, which has been described by the U.S. government as a proxy force for the Russian military and has been accused of committing human rights abuses across Africa.
鈥淲e did see that elements of Wagner鈥檚 forces were being withdrawn from Africa ahead of this conflict in Ukraine, and the suspicion was that they were being prepared for missions in Ukraine itself. We've also seen that Russia is undertaking sabotage missions behind the lines, which unconventional forces would expect to be used,鈥 Giles said.
There have been being used in the assault on Ukraine yet.
鈥淎nother one to watch is the Chechen forces that are even more renowned for their brutality than the Russian main force,鈥 he continued. 鈥淩ussia would like Ukrainians to know that they are being prepared to be moved in, this is a terrifying prospect for anybody with experience of the medieval viciousness of Russian war fighting, as was demonstrated by both sides in the Chechen conflict.鈥
There have been being seen on the ground in Ukraine, with Chechen state TV saying leader , a staunch Putin ally, had .
The Russian Navy is generally organized into four combat forces: surface forces, the submarine forces, naval aviation and coastal troops.
鈥淭he Russian military is a very capable, very organized, very disciplined military. Whatever it decides to put into action is credible,鈥 retired vice-admiral and former vice chief of defence staff Mark Norman told CTVNews.ca. 鈥淭he challenge from a naval perspective as we look at Ukraine is it's all very tightly contained in the Black Sea.鈥
鈥淪hip-launched cruise missiles that can go a very long distances鈥undreds of kilometres,鈥 Norman said in a telephone interview Thursday. 鈥淚t appears clear that there's going to be a focus on infrastructure and on what we characterize as command and control of sea ports, rail heads those kinds of things which allow [Ukraine] to move their forces around and defend their territory,鈥 he said, adding that it is 鈥渢extbook鈥 for an attacking force to seize and hold a port to establish a staging point or 鈥渂eachhead.鈥
The Black Sea itself poses its own challenges, described by Norman as a 鈥渞elatively shallow body of water鈥 that has only one way in and out which makes it difficult to resupply or reinforce naval units, but plays to the Russian鈥檚 advantage when it comes to submarines.
鈥淚 would argue that the potential for Russian submarines in the Black Sea is probably the most significant aspect of what could happen because of the inherent advantages,鈥 Norman explained, adding that because the Black Sea is not particularly deep submarines do not have many places to hide, but poor acoustic conditions mean they do not have to hide in the same way they would in the open ocean or deep water.
The Russian Air Force is another branch of the military that has seen significant investment and experimentation over the years, Giles said.
Russia has 10 times the number of fighter aircraft and approximately 16 times the number of attack helicopters than Ukraine.
Russian air strikes have been bombarding major cities in Ukraine, including Kyiv.
According to the Pentagon Thursday, Russia has into Ukraine from Belarus, Russia and the sea.
The bombardments continued into the early hours of Friday morning ahead of reports of Russian tanks moving towards the capital.
鈥淥ne lesson that has been learnt from Syria is that we should not accuse Russia of being careless and indiscriminate with whom it bombs,鈥 he said, explaining that what was thought to be careless selection of targets that ended in civilian casualties was in fact 鈥渄eliberate policy.鈥
鈥淭here is no discrimination in terms of who will be a target in this war on Ukraine,鈥 he said.
According to associate professor of political science at Rutgers-Camden University in New Jersey, Michael Boyle, drones may play a significant role in the conflict.
鈥淚 would expect there to be the use of tactical drones with Russian ground forces as they try to seize more territory,鈥 he said in a telephone interview Thursday, adding they could be deployed in advance as a surveillance tool for ground forces.
There has been much divide over the use of drones in warfare, as targeted strikes from devices like the U.S. Reaper drones have limited success in hitting their intended targets and have been the cause of civilian deaths in Afghanistan and .
Boyle said if the Russians stick to using surveillance drones, the risk to civilians remain lower, but if they shift to doing targeted strikes, 鈥渢here are real concerns about the level of civilian casualties and the accuracy.鈥
Cyberattacks targeting the websites of Ukraine鈥檚 defence, foreign and interior ministries preceeded the Russian invasion, with massive distributed-denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks and malware.
Cyberattacks have been a calling card of Russian tactics over the past decade, with hackers trying to sow panic, thwart elections and cost millions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, business and commerce globally.
According to Brett Callow, threat analyst for Emsisoft, an anti-virus software company known for decrypting ransomware attacks, the cyber situation is 鈥渦nprecedented鈥 with the invasion of Ukraine.
鈥淎nything and everything is on the table,鈥 Callow said in a telephone interview with CTVNews.ca Thursday. 鈥淭here鈥檚 been an ongoing Russian cyber campaign against Ukraine for about a decade, what is happening at this point will be have been pre-planned for weeks, if not months 鈥 this will not be spur of the moment.鈥
Callow said Russia鈥檚 predetermined strategy will most likely involve a number of elements in its attack including intelligence gathering, Ukrainian military supply and response as well as psychological operations (known as 鈥榩syops鈥) against the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian people.
鈥淯nfortunately at this point it's quite likely the Ukrainian system is widely compromised, and vulnerable to disruption. The Ukrainian government estimates that 40 per cent of the Microsoft software that they use is pirated,鈥 Callow said, adding that pirated software often comes with malware that can steal credentials to gain access to targeted networks, an MO Russian ransomware gangs have used in the past.
Another major tool in Russia鈥檚 arsenal is the highly engineered stream of misinformation and propaganda, according to Boyle.
鈥淲hat we tend to see with Russian disinformation is that it is semantic, and what you start to see is that multiple outlets start to promote the same four to five arguments at the same time,鈥 Boyle continued, adding that Russia is not concerned with convincing skeptics as much as creating an air of plausibility with videos and stories from on the ground in Ukraine.
鈥淚t's hard to deny a crushed drone, for example. It's hard to deny bodies laying the ground, people crying and evidence of fires,鈥 he said, adding that further investigation of similar videos in the past has shown they were recorded days before the events allegedly occurred.
Boyle said the Russian propaganda and disinformation network is vast, organized and has found ways to use bot accounts to inflict a high degree of damage.
鈥淥ne thing Russia鈥檚 been very good about doing is laundering their messages so that they come in looking from superficially plausible feeds,鈥 he said, adding that in the 2020 U.S. election Russian disinformation campaigns got around Facebook filters by planting stories with Americans and American organizations that parroted messages from the Kremlin through a series of bot nets.
鈥淲e know they're going to amplify these false messages,鈥 he said of the Russians鈥 use of bot nets creeping into social media feeds of North Americans. 鈥淗ow do you stop that from taking hold on social media and then how do you particularly manage and police that when it's coming from people who have the right to free speech?鈥
----
With a file from CTVNews.ca鈥檚 writer Maggie Parkhill and data journalist Deena Zaidi
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to be in New York this week for the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future amid increasing geopolitical instability around the world.
Specialist divers surveying the wreckage of the US$40 million superyacht that sank off Sicily in August, killing seven people including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, have asked for heightened security to guard the vessel, over concerns that sensitive data locked in its safes may interest foreign governments, multiple sources told CNN.
A morning cup of coffee may do more than just perk you up, according to new research.
Twenty-seven year 麻豆影视 reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao shares his story of what it was like to have an ostomy bag as part of his health-care battle. 'I鈥檓 grateful for what it did to extend my life,' he writes in a personal column for CTVNews.ca.
An explosion in a coal mine in eastern Iran killed at least 33 workers and injured 17 others, officials said Sunday, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country's history as others remained missing hours after the blast.
Hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets early Sunday across a wider and deeper area of northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa, as Israel launched hundreds of strikes on Lebanon. The sides appeared to be spiraling toward all-out war following months of escalating tensions.
Four people have died and more than 20 were wounded in a shooting in a nightlife area in Birmingham, Alabama, according to police and news reports.
It鈥檚 not easy going up against Canada鈥檚 banking oligopoly, but some are trying.
If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought 鈥 such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.
The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.
One person has died following a shooting in Scarborough late last night.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they鈥檙e about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
An explosion in a coal mine in eastern Iran killed at least 33 workers and injured 17 others, officials said Sunday, marking one of the worst mining disasters in the country's history as others remained missing hours after the blast.
Donald Trump returned to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state with direct appeals to women, claiming he would be a better champion for them than U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is vying to become the first female president.
Four people have died and more than 20 were wounded in a shooting in a nightlife area in Birmingham, Alabama, according to police and news reports.
Hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets early Sunday across a wider and deeper area of northern Israel, with some landing near the city of Haifa, as Israel launched hundreds of strikes on Lebanon. The sides appeared to be spiraling toward all-out war following months of escalating tensions.
Sheba, a 50-year-old seal at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in southwest England, has far surpassed the average lifespan for seals and could be the oldest in captivity in the world.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to be in New York this week for the 78th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future amid increasing geopolitical instability around the world.
A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says close to 45,000 Canadians are in Lebanon, months after warning there is no guarantee Ottawa can evacuate them if the situation deteriorates further.
A morning cup of coffee may do more than just perk you up, according to new research.
If your child sometimes has trouble sleeping, it may be easy to chalk it up to a phase they will grow out of one day. But a new study suggests possible serious consequences for this line of thought 鈥 such as a higher risk for suicidal ideation or attempts when they are older.
A new study has found that for every 10 per cent increase in the amount of a person's diet made up of ultraprocessed foods there was a 17 per cent increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
If something looks too good to be true, it might be. That's the message from Saskatchewan horticulturists after customers have come into their stores hoping to buy purple apple trees this month.
The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said Friday that it plans to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement that calls for tech giant Microsoft to buy the power to supply its data centers with carbon-free energy.
Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.
Kathryn Crosby, who appeared in such movies as 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad', 'Anatomy of a Murder,' and 'Operation Mad Ball' before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby, has died. She was 90.fff
'Saturday Night Live' will have a slew of famous faces to help kick off its historic 50th season when the show returns later this month.
The death of the Tragically Hip鈥檚 lead singer Gord Downie united fans across Canada in their grief, but in many ways pulled his bandmates apart.
It鈥檚 not easy going up against Canada鈥檚 banking oligopoly, but some are trying.
It is not a great time to be a coffee drinker. In general, coffee bean prices are the highest they've been in more than a decade.
The maker of the popular party game Cards Against Humanity is accusing Elon Musk's SpaceX of trespassing on and damaging a plot of vacant land the company owns in Texas.
More than 2,200 zoo professionals from 23 different countries have gathered in Calgary for the annual Association of Zoos and Aquariums conference.
Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.
The end of the day 鈥 when school, extracurricular activities and homework are (hopefully) finally done 鈥 is the window that many kids have for downtime. It can be a struggle to convince them not to go on their phones.
Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
Kiefer Sherwood spent several nights last spring chasing Quinn Hughes around the ice and generally pestering the Vancouver Canucks.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
General Motors (GM) has issued a recall for 38,000 vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, Transport Canada reported in a notice on Wednesday.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of 'remotely disabling' his Cybertruck, which had been sent to the frontline of Russia's war in Ukraine.
An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.
Volunteers and staff members gathered along Vancouver鈥檚 Stanley Park Seawall Saturday to pick up litter as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
A heritage home in Vancouver suffered "extensive damage" in a fire that broke out late Saturday morning, according to firefighters.
One person has died following a shooting in Scarborough late last night.
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle involved in a collision in Scarborough Saturday evening, Toronto police said.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested after one person was found dead at a home in Richmond Hill Saturday morning.
Milla White from Cochrane literally drew her way into a meeting with former boxer and actor Mickey Rourke.
The water coming from your taps might be a bit murky Saturday, but Calgary remains on schedule to end all water restrictions on Sunday.
For 12 hours Saturday Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPCK) employees, service personnel and corporate teams rode spin bikes to raise funds and awareness for charities focusing on housing homeless veterans in Canada and the U.S.
A potential move to LeBreton Flats for the Ottawa Senators is still years away, but questions and concerns are already being raised about what to do with the Canadian Tire Centre.
The Taste of Wellington 2024 wraps up Saturday in Ottawa.
A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Montrealers can get used to taking a stroll on several car-free streets during the summer in the years to come thanks to a new commitment from the city.
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Mont茅r茅gie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.
The Edmonton Police Service is looking for a person of interest in connection with a suspicious fire that destroyed a multi-unit building and damaged several townhomes earlier this week.
Tattoos are becoming more common in today's society and, as a result, appear to be more acceptable in the workplace than they used to be.
Two people have been charged after a daylight shooting in Red Deer earlier this week.
Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.
Pictou County District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Thorburn, N.S., Saturday.
A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
A herd of dogs paid visit to patients and residents at Riverview Health Centre during an annual event that lifts spirits and wags tails.
While slang may come and go, experts say the phenomenon behind them, which constantly churns out brand-new bon mots, is as old as language itself.
Fire officials are investigating after a fire completely destroyed the community fridge in the Cathedral neighborhood.
The last two months after losing her daughter Bella have been extremely difficult for Kyla Thomson.
Regina police arrested three youths in connection to a bear mace incident at a Regina high school on Friday.
The Cambridge Professional Fire Fighters鈥 Association held their annual Muscular Dystrophy Boot Drive on Saturday.
Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.
Police said the pedestrian, a 52-year-old man, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with life-threatening injuries and the driver of the vehicle failed to remain at the scene.
The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.
Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a man鈥檚 body was found on Sweetgrass First Nation.
Motors were roaring, and tires were spinning as Saskatoon's biggest names in motocross gathered together for the 50-year anniversary of the club's founding on Saturday.
Ontario鈥檚 police watchdog is investigating after an Ontario Provincial Police officer discharged his firearm at a 36-year-old man in near Moonbeam, Ont., on Friday night.
For some young people, a popular method for getting a quick high is by misusing laughing gas 鈥 and lately, that鈥檚 in the form of nitrous oxide from products sold by the company Galaxy Gas.
An Ontario woman is among the dozens of people who have come forward to allege that they were sexually abused by London-based businessman Mohamed Al Fayed, the former chairman and owner of Harrods.
A motorcyclist has died following a serious collision that took place in London鈥檚 south end on Friday afternoon.
The London Police Service (LPS) is currently investigating a suspicious death in the east end.
The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.
The Barrie Skateboard Association (BSA) hosted a unique competition at the City's Skate Park on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary, which showcased the park's importance and the growth of skateboarding in the region.
A man is facing numerous drug trafficking charges after Dufferin OPP seized a large assortment of drugs and weapons in Orangeville earlier this week.
One person is in hospital after an e-bike crash in Orillia on Thursday.
The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.
A LaSalle high school is celebrating its emerald anniversary this weekend, with everyone who has ever walked its halls invited to return.
A man who was found dead behind a curling rink in Nanaimo, B.C., earlier this month was the victim of a homicide, police confirmed.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A six-year-old girl who was reported missing in northern B.C. earlier this week remains unaccounted for, and "significant resources from across the province" have joined in the search, police said Saturday.
A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.
The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.
Despite the heavy rain, plenty of muscle turned up for United Way鈥檚 annual Pull the Bus fundraiser in Lethbridge Friday.
Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
Following an outbreak of COVID-19 on its continuing care floor and just ahead of the flu season, St. Joseph鈥檚 General Hospital in Elliot Lake has opted to re-introduce a universal masking policy until further notice.
A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.
Newfoundland and Labrador sponsored a minor football team in England, now they鈥檙e about to play one of the biggest clubs in European soccer.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
