Crash Course on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine in a national address. During the final minutes of the broadcast, shells began falling throughout Ukraine. Europe was faced with the reality of war for the first time since 1945. It was only 5am.

Putin has referred to the invasion as ‘a special military operation’, saving Russian citizens from being subjected to genocidal activity at the hands of the Ukrainian government. The Kremlin desires the ‘demilitarisation and denazification’ of Ukraine. Western intelligence believes all claims are baseless and falsified.

The war has not come from nowhere. The Kremlin (Russia’s government) has been in constant conflict with Ukraine since 2014. Ukraine is a former member of the Soviet Union and, since the fall of the Soviet Union, has wavered between alliance with Russia and alliance with the West.

In 2014, Russia made its first move toward reclaiming perceived Russian territory. While the Ukrainian government was dealing with a separate political fallout, Russian troops entered the Crimean Peninsula. After a public vote in the region, Crimea was wilfully annexed to Russia. Ukraine maintains the referendum was illegitimate and the transfer of territory has never been recognised by Western countries.

Conflict subsequently broke out along the Eastern border of Ukraine in the Donbas region. Russian-backed

Ukraine has many meanings to the Kremlin – the invasion stems from strategic and identity issues. In July 2021, Putin penned an essay: On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians. He claims Russians and Ukrainians are a single people. Russians and Ukrainians do share language, culture and history; however, a majority of the Ukrainian population view themselves as having a separate national identity. Putin does not recognise it. He also claims Ukraine sits on Russian land, questioning the legitimacy of Ukraine’s borders. In retrospect, the essay was a warning.

Ukraine’s desire to join NATO, a military alliance of Western countries, has likely also motivated the invasion. Russia views NATO as encroaching on Russian territory, a neighbour they don’t want. Given an attack on one NATO member country is an attack on them all, it’s logical for Russia to strike before Ukraine joins. A Russia-aligned Ukraine provides a buffer between Russia and the West. It’s protection from NATO and Western ideals.

Many speculate that Putin wants to reclaim former-Soviet countries and rebuild the Soviet Union. Taking Ukraine would be the natural next step.

The following information has the potential to be out of date before this issue is even published – the war is unfolding rapidly. Ukraine’s major cities have been experiencing heavy shelling; the Kremlin claims these are targeted at the military, but reports suggest otherwise. The bombs have hit day cares, schools, a TV station tower and possibly hospitals. Such attacks are war crimes. Russian tanks have been spotted in most major cities. The Russian army is currently amassing its forces around Kyiv, preparing to take the capital.

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia declared war. Men aged 18-60 are unable to leave the country as they can be conscripted to the army. Citizens are now taking up the fight against the Russian army. Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

refused a personal evacuation by the US army. He has promised his people he will not be leaving the capital of Kyiv and will fight alongside them. Zelensky believes himself to be a primary target of the Kremlin.

In Russia, many citizens are risking their lives to protest the Kremlin’s actions. The level of support for Putin is hard to establish; it’s important to acknowledge Russia’s media is state-owned and is repeating the Kremlin’s messages. Russians are being told the conflict is saving Russian-identifying Ukrainians from an abusive government, but the military action tells a very different story. In an on-brand move from Russia; the army seems underprepared for the invasion. Ukrainian intelligence reports Russian vehicles stranded without fuel on the side of the road, out of food. The suspicion is that Ukraine has put up far more of a fight than the Kremlin expected.

The international response has primarily comprised of sanctions – the introduction of financial restrictions and penalties on Russia’s international operations. In a feat of surprising unity, countries across the globe have followed the lead of the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union in imposing sanctions on Russian banks, powerful individuals and the Kremlin. The international community are trying to hit the Kremlin where it hurts: the wallet. Unfortunately, sanctions take a while to have a strong effect, and the commonly held belief is that the Kremlin has been saving up for such an occasion. For Ukrainans, borders to neighbouring countries have been thrown open for the estimated half a million refugees who have already fled. Ukraine is receiving significant military aid from the international community. It is being sent weapons, ammunition, and armoury – but no troops.

Putting troops on the ground is a declaration of war on Russia. Nobody wants to take that risk. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine risks becoming an international stalemate, a second Cold War, fought by proxy in Eastern Europe.

The war in Ukraine sets the international standard for conflict in the 2020s. There is a legitimate risk that if the international response is not severe enough, the door will be open for countries with similar territory disputes to make good on promises.

Ukraine has received an outpour of international support many other conflicts have not enjoyed. Regardless of the legitimacy of Russia’s invasion, and regardless of whether the conflict fizzles out or explodes, it will define the future of acceptable behaviour in the international community.

Refereces

Dickinson, P 2021, ‘Putin’s new Ukraine essay reveals imperial ambitions’, Atlantic COuncil, 15 July, viewed 1 March 2022, < https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ ukrainealert/putins-new-ukraine-essay-reflects-imperial-ambitions/>.

Sullivan, B 2022, ‘Russia’s at war with Ukraine. Here’s how we got here’, npr, 24 February, viewed 1 March 2022, <https://www.npr.org/2022/02/12/1080205477/ history-ukraine-russia>.

Zinets, S &Vasovic, W 2022, ‘Missiles rain down around Ukraine’, Reuters, 25 February, viewed 1 March 2022, <https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putinorders-military-operations-ukraine-demands-kyiv-forces-surrender-2022-02-24/>.

Photo Credit

Reuters: Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy