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A Year in Pictures: Europe's top stories of 2022 in 20 paradigm-shifting images
Thomas Wintle
Europe;
A Year in Pictures: Europe's top stories of 2022 in 20 paradigm-shifting images

And it's finally over... The year 2022 saw the world upended by the arrival of Europe's deadliest conflict in decades, which in turn has triggered a sudden realignment of global power structures that will resonate for years to come.

From political instability in the UK to far-right rumblings on the continent, here we give you the highlights of 2022's dramatic events around Europe – all in 20 paradigm-shifting images.

 

1) Australia deports Djokovic over vaccine rules

Novak Djokovic was barred from the Australian Open and deported after reportedly traveling while being COVID-19 positive. /Darko Bandic/AP
Novak Djokovic was barred from the Australian Open and deported after reportedly traveling while being COVID-19 positive. /Darko Bandic/AP

Novak Djokovic was barred from the Australian Open and deported after reportedly traveling while being COVID-19 positive. /Darko Bandic/AP

The year 2022 got off to a rocky start in the sports world when tennis star Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia, ending his hopes of winning a record 21st Grand Slam title. The top men's player had his visa revoked for a second time when it was revealed he had traveled to several destinations after having tested positive for COVID-19 before arriving in Australia. The government said it originally decided to cancel Djokovic's visa on the grounds that his presence in the country risked fanning anti-vaccine sentiment.

 

2) Russia starts its 'military operation' in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin rocked the world when announced Russia was launching its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. /Xinhua/CFP
President Vladimir Putin rocked the world when announced Russia was launching its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. /Xinhua/CFP

President Vladimir Putin rocked the world when announced Russia was launching its 'special military operation' in Ukraine. /Xinhua/CFP

Perhaps the defining moment of 2022 was on February 24 when President Vladimir Putin announced Russia was launching its "special military operation" in Ukraine. Blaming NATO expansion and Kyiv "provocations," The sudden escalation of the conflict sent a seismic shift through the world, and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, millions displaced, and a sudden reshaping of the global order. With no end in sight, the conlict's repercussions will be felt well into 2023 and likely far beyond, as the world continues to readjust to the ever-growing fissures between its global powerhouses.

 

3) Mariupol theater strike kills hundreds

Hundreds of civilians died in the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater. /Pavlokyrylenko_Donoda/Telegram /AFP
Hundreds of civilians died in the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater. /Pavlokyrylenko_Donoda/Telegram /AFP

Hundreds of civilians died in the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater. /Pavlokyrylenko_Donoda/Telegram /AFP

One of the earliest tragedies of the Ukraine conflict came as Russia was accused of bombing Mariupol's Drama Theater, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering. Moscow denied responsibility at the time. At least 300 people were believed to have died in the attack, with some estimates ranging up to 600. Following the attack, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy – later to be named Time magazine's Person of The Year – said his heart was broken by the event.

 

4) Global food prices skyrocket amid Ukraine conflict

Global food prices jumped by 13 percent in March. /CFP
Global food prices jumped by 13 percent in March. /CFP

Global food prices jumped by 13 percent in March. /CFP

Another knock-on effect of the conflict was that already record-breaking food prices were sent soaring, jumping nearly 13 percent in March alone. With Russia and Ukraine presiding over more than a quarter of the world's wheat sales, the impact was felt far beyond Europe, as developing and import-dependent countries struggled the most to adapt. Add natural disasters, record inflation, and the fact that Russia boasts the world's biggest fertilizer exports, 2022 saw what many experts called "a perfect storm" of economic hardship.

 

5) Monkeypox outbreak hits Europe

Nearly 14,000 cases of monkeypox were reported in 2022. /CFP
Nearly 14,000 cases of monkeypox were reported in 2022. /CFP

Nearly 14,000 cases of monkeypox were reported in 2022. /CFP

While the first case of monkeypox was found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo way back in 1970, 2022 brought Europe's first major outbreak of the infectious disease. It arrived in the UK in early May, and 35 European countries and territories would go on to confirm cases of the potentially deadly virus. On a global scale, the World Health Organization reported nearly 14,000 cases in 2022 alone, but luckily only five people would die during the outbreak.

 

6) Sweden, Finland apply to NATO

2022 was the year Finland and Sweden dropped military non-alignment in favor of applying to join NATO. /Johanna Geron/Pool/Reuters
2022 was the year Finland and Sweden dropped military non-alignment in favor of applying to join NATO. /Johanna Geron/Pool/Reuters

2022 was the year Finland and Sweden dropped military non-alignment in favor of applying to join NATO. /Johanna Geron/Pool/Reuters

In May, Finland and Sweden formally submitted their applications to join NATO, sealing their decision to drop decades of military non-alignment to join the Western military alliance. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg called the move a "historic step," promising to welcome them "with open arms." But some members – notably Türkiye – are still pushing back against their full accession. 

 

7) European heatwaves lead to 53,000 excess deaths

Record-breaking droughts triggered wildfires across southern Europe. /Hannah Mckay/Reuters
Record-breaking droughts triggered wildfires across southern Europe. /Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Record-breaking droughts triggered wildfires across southern Europe. /Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Through July and August, Europe suffered several waves of record-breaking drought and brutally high temperatures, which in turn prompted massive wildfires across the south of the continent. The EU's statistics office Eurostat estimated the extreme weather led to about 53,000 excess deaths in July alone, while agricultural and other water-dependent industries (that's most European sectors) lost millions to the extreme dry spells.

 

8) Colorful climate protests spread

Just Stop Oil protesters gave Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' a new splash of color, part of a year-long trend among climate activists. /CFP
Just Stop Oil protesters gave Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' a new splash of color, part of a year-long trend among climate activists. /CFP

Just Stop Oil protesters gave Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' a new splash of color, part of a year-long trend among climate activists. /CFP

While splashing bright liquid about may be an age-old tactic from the activist playbook, the decision of two climate protesters to throw tomato soup over a Vincent van Gogh painting became part of a noticeable trend this year. Colorful climate protests, often targeting priceless works of art, took place all over the continent, while many prestigious buildings were also decorated in what has become the movement's trademark orange. Most artworks were undamaged, but the action brought a new urgency – and a certain level of anger – to the debate around the climate crisis.

9) Ukraine conflict passes six-month mark

Ukrainian Border Guards receive drawings from school children, among donations of food and gifts from their families and general public, in Sloviansk, Ukraine. /Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters
Ukrainian Border Guards receive drawings from school children, among donations of food and gifts from their families and general public, in Sloviansk, Ukraine. /Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters

Ukrainian Border Guards receive drawings from school children, among donations of food and gifts from their families and general public, in Sloviansk, Ukraine. /Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters

The conflict in Ukraine marked six months to the day Moscow ordered tens of thousands of Russian troops into their neighboring country, kickstarting one of the largest scale martial campaigns in Europe since World War II. Russia calls its campaign a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine and protect Russian-speaking communities. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky sees it as Russia having "embarked on a path of evil."

 

10) Queen Elizabeth II dies

Queen Elizabeth II died after seven decades on the throne. /Queen Elizabeth II/Reuters
Queen Elizabeth II died after seven decades on the throne. /Queen Elizabeth II/Reuters

Queen Elizabeth II died after seven decades on the throne. /Queen Elizabeth II/Reuters

On September 8 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, one of the world's most iconic and longest-serving monarchs, died at the age of 96 at her summer residence in Scotland. Despite republican sentiment and media criticism of her family, Elizabeth's reign saw strong and consistent support for the UK monarchy, while her personal popularity remained high up until her passing. Her son King Charles III said his mother's death was a "moment of great sadness" and that her loss would be "deeply felt" around the world.

 

11) Nord stream pipeline sabotage

Several explosions from unknown perpetrators hit both Nord Stream pipelines, Europe's main source of Russian natural gas. /Danish Defense/AFP
Several explosions from unknown perpetrators hit both Nord Stream pipelines, Europe's main source of Russian natural gas. /Danish Defense/AFP

Several explosions from unknown perpetrators hit both Nord Stream pipelines, Europe's main source of Russian natural gas. /Danish Defense/AFP

In late September, the clandestine bombings of the 2022 Nord Stream pipelines led to several gas leaks along one of the key routes for Russia's natural gas exports. The sabotage occurred in the Baltic Sea between Denmark and Poland, heavily disrupting imports into Europe. An investigation – from which Russia is excluded – to search for the perpetrators and discover their motives is ongoing, but both questions currently remain unresolved.

 

12) Far-right Giorgia Meloni becomes Italian PM

A hard-right coalition won Italy's 2022 general election, signaling a notable rightward drift in European politics. /Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters
A hard-right coalition won Italy's 2022 general election, signaling a notable rightward drift in European politics. /Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

A hard-right coalition won Italy's 2022 general election, signaling a notable rightward drift in European politics. /Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters

Confirming a new hard-right drift in European politics, this year saw a right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's 'Brothers of Italy' overwhelmingly win in Italy's 2022 general election. Meloni would later be sworn in as the country's first woman prime minister, making her the country's most far-right leader since the deposition of Fascist ruler Benito Mussolini in 1943.

 

13) Referendums in Russian-occupied Ukraine 

The integration referendums in Ukraine were seen as the first step in Russia's bid to take over 15 percent of its neighbors' territory. /CFP
The integration referendums in Ukraine were seen as the first step in Russia's bid to take over 15 percent of its neighbors' territory. /CFP

The integration referendums in Ukraine were seen as the first step in Russia's bid to take over 15 percent of its neighbors' territory. /CFP

In late September, Moscow backed referendums in four occupied Ukrainian regions – around 15 percent of the country – on whether citizens there wanted to be absorbed into a wider Russia. Unsurprisingly, the outcome was a resounding 'yes' despite the polls being rejected by the West and Ukraine as a sham conducted under military occupation. Heavy fighting continues in all the areas as Kyiv continues to recaptured more Russia-controlled territory, but Moscow maintains late into 2022 that Ukraine has to face new "realities" about its right to the land.

 

14) Rishi Sunak becomes UK's first POC leader

Rishi Sunak is the first British Prime Minister of Asian heritage. /Reuters
Rishi Sunak is the first British Prime Minister of Asian heritage. /Reuters

Rishi Sunak is the first British Prime Minister of Asian heritage. /Reuters

After the calamitous premiership of Liz Truss, who made history by becoming the UK's shortest-serving prime minister after just seven weeks in the job, Rishi Sunak was brought in to steady the ship. The UK's former finance minister was the only candidate put forward by the ruling Conservative Party's MPs to become party leader. By winning that poll, he automatically became prime minister – without a wider public vote. Sunak is the first British leader from Asian heritage, as well as the youngest in 200 years. His father-in-law is said to be India's richest man. 

 

15) Italy rejects asylum seekers rescued at sea

Italy's right-wing coalition refused to allow almost a thousand asylum seekers rescued at sea to disembark. /CFP
Italy's right-wing coalition refused to allow almost a thousand asylum seekers rescued at sea to disembark. /CFP

Italy's right-wing coalition refused to allow almost a thousand asylum seekers rescued at sea to disembark. /CFP

Italy's right-wing coalition made headlines in November when it refused to allow almost a thousand asylum seekers rescued at sea to disembark at its ports. Since coming to power, Meloni's government has taken an increasingly hardline stance against rescue ships and non-governmental organizations that help refugees landing on its coast. In the end, it was France who accepted some of the people aboard the ships, and despite accepting some rescued asylum seekers, Rome continues to push back against greeting stranded asylum seekers.

 

16) Ukraine recaptures Kherson

A local woman hugs a Ukrainian soldier after the recapture of Kherson. /Lesko Kromplitz/Reuters
A local woman hugs a Ukrainian soldier after the recapture of Kherson. /Lesko Kromplitz/Reuters

A local woman hugs a Ukrainian soldier after the recapture of Kherson. /Lesko Kromplitz/Reuters

On November 9 Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the strategic Ukrainian city of Kherson. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had to make the "difficult decision" of pulling out his soldiers after Ukrainian forces encircled the only regional capital captured by Russia since its Ukraine offensive began in February. Fierce fighting continues close to the city, with Moscow still claiming control of the wider region.

 

17) Istanbul terror attack kills six

Six people were killed and 81 wounded in the Istanbul terror attack. /Kemal Aslan/Reuters
Six people were killed and 81 wounded in the Istanbul terror attack. /Kemal Aslan/Reuters

Six people were killed and 81 wounded in the Istanbul terror attack. /Kemal Aslan/Reuters

Six people were killed and 81 others wounded in Istanbul on November 13 when a bomb exploded on a busy pedestrian street in Türkiye's business capital. Following the attack, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that "efforts to defeat Türkiye and the Turkish people through terrorism will fail today just as they did yesterday and as they will again tomorrow." Dozens of suspects have since been detained and interrogated, but no groups have claimed responsibility for the attack.

 

18) Paris replaces London as Europe's top stock market

This year, London lost its crown as Europe's top stock market. /Robert Ford/Getty Creative/CFP
This year, London lost its crown as Europe's top stock market. /Robert Ford/Getty Creative/CFP

This year, London lost its crown as Europe's top stock market. /Robert Ford/Getty Creative/CFP

At the end of 2022, London lost its prestigious title as Europe's biggest stock market to Paris. The French capital stole the top spot after the market capitalization of its share exchanges overtook those in Britain. Even as late as December, Britain's finance minister Jeremy Hunt was warning that the UK's economy was going to get worse before it got better, after figures revealed it had shrunk further between August and October. Many have pointed to the teething pains of Brexit for the the loss of the UK's financial crown.

 

19) Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Man United

Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo left the club after months of acrimony. /CFP
Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo left the club after months of acrimony. /CFP

Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo left the club after months of acrimony. /CFP

Once considered a legend of the English Premier League club, Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in mutual but bitter agreement at the end of the year. Ronaldo first joined the team in 2003 and won multiple awards including a Champions League title, three Premier League titles and his maiden Ballon d'Or over six years there. However, his return in 2021 was less glorious, with the split following months of acrimony between the striker and the club. It reached tipping point when Ronaldo publicly criticised both Man United and its manager Erik ten Hag in an explosive interview, leading to his final departure. 

 

20) Far-right German coup plot foiled

German police take one of the Reichsbuerger's ringleaders, minor nobleman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, into custody. He had allegedly planned to be the new prince of Germany. /Tilman Blasshofer/Reuters TV
German police take one of the Reichsbuerger's ringleaders, minor nobleman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, into custody. He had allegedly planned to be the new prince of Germany. /Tilman Blasshofer/Reuters TV

German police take one of the Reichsbuerger's ringleaders, minor nobleman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, into custody. He had allegedly planned to be the new prince of Germany. /Tilman Blasshofer/Reuters TV

To cap off the year, security services had to foil a plan to topple the German state – the plot of which could have been plucked from the pages of a thriller novel. Police detained 25 members of a 20,000-strong far-right group called the Reichsbuerger (Citizens of the Reich) movement. Supporters do not recognize the legitimacy of the modern-day German state and are devoted to reinstating the German empire under a monarchy. While it would be easy to dismiss the group as harmless crackpots, some members were also fans of neo-Nazi ideology. Perhaps equally worryingly, many were also connected to the German armed forces.

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