Actually it really started in 2014 when Ukraine started bombing the Russians in the Donbas region after the Russians annexed Crimea. BTW - Zelensky didn't become President until 2019, so the skirmishes were under an acting President, likely backed up by Victoria Nuland, USAID, and NED.

NATO wasn't (and still isn't) innocent, but Ukraine wanting to join NATO isn't the only reason for the ongoing war.

Here's what Grok said when I asked when Ukraine started bombing Donbass.

The conflict in the Donbas region, which includes parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, began in 2014, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. There’s no single, precise date for when "Ukraine started bombing Donbas," as the situation evolved gradually with escalating violence rather than a sudden onset of aerial bombardment. However, the Ukrainian government’s military response, termed the "Anti-Terrorist Operation" (ATO), was officially launched on April 15, 2014, under acting President Oleksandr Turchynov. This marked the beginning of concerted efforts to counter pro-Russian separatists who had seized government buildings and declared independence in the region.

The roots of the conflict trace back to early April 2014. On April 6–7, pro-Russian activists, supported by Russian operatives like Igor Girkin (Strelkov), stormed security service (SBU) offices in Donetsk and Luhansk, arming themselves and calling for referendums on independence. By April 12, Girkin’s group had taken Sloviansk, sparking armed clashes. Ukraine’s initial response involved ground operations to reclaim control, with fighting intensifying over the following weeks. The first significant use of heavy weaponry, including artillery and airstrikes by Ukrainian forces, emerged in late May and early June 2014. For instance, on May 26, Ukrainian forces used air support to retake Donetsk airport from separatists, marking a notable escalation. By June 19–20, battles like the one near Krasny Lyman saw the Ukrainian military deploying air and artillery strikes against insurgent positions, as part of efforts to secure key areas.

Both sides used heavy weapons as the conflict grew. Separatists, backed by Russia with arms and personnel, employed artillery and Grad rockets, while Ukraine responded with similar firepower to dislodge them. Civilian areas were caught in the crossfire, leading to significant casualties—over 14,000 deaths by early 2022, including civilians, Ukrainian soldiers, and separatist fighters. The narrative of "Ukraine bombing Donbas" is often framed differently depending on perspective: Russian propaganda claims it was unprovoked aggression against Russian-speaking populations, while Ukraine asserts it was a defensive response to Russian-orchestrated separatism.

So, to answer directly: Ukraine’s military operations, including the use of bombing and shelling, began in earnest in April 2014 with the ATO, with notable airstrikes documented by late May 2014. The conflict’s complexity—blending local unrest, Russian intervention, and Ukrainian counteraction—means the "start" depends on how you define "bombing." If you mean sustained military engagement with heavy weapons, mid-2014 is when it became prominent.