Tracing The Origins:
- 1945 – 1990: The Era Of Cold War:
- The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc, and the Eastern Bloc, which began following World War II.
- This is where we see the birth of the Western Backed North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Eastern Backed Warsaw Pact being Signed.
- 1991: USSR Disintegration:
- The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had a total of 15 republics before its disintegration in 1991. Russia was one of the republics.
- Russia and Ukraine have shared a turbulent relationship ever since Kyiv (Ukraine’s Capital) declared independence after the disintegration of the USSR in the early 1990s.
- 1990 – 2000: The Act Of Balancing
- Throughout the time frame Ukraine Followed Foreign Policy For Balanced Cooperation between NATO Backed Western and Pro – Russian Aspirations.
- 2000 – 2010: The Crisis to Begin
- In 2004 Pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovich is declared president but allegations of vote-rigging triggered protests in what becomes known as the Orange Revolution, forcing a re-run of the vote. A pro-Western former prime minister, Viktor Yushchenko, is elected president.
- Similarly, It was in 2004, when the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia had joined the EU. Followed in 2007 – Bulgaria and Romania too. Which were earlier parts of the Soviet Union.
- In 2008 NATO promises Ukraine it will one day join the alliance.
- 2010 – 2022: The Outbreak
- In 2010 Yanukovich defeats Tymoshenko in a presidential election. Russia and Ukraine clinch a gas pricing deal in exchange for extending the lease for the Russian navy in a Ukrainian Black Seaport.
- In 2013 Yanukovich’s government suspends trade and association talks with the EU in November and opts to revive economic ties with Moscow, triggering months of mass rallies in Kyiv.
- In 2014 The protests, largely focused on Kyiv’s Maidan square, turn violent. Dozens of protesters are killed.
- This Indeed was termed as – “Revolution of Dignity” or “Maidan Revolution”.
- Looking over the deteriorating events in 2014Putin Annexation Of Crimean Peninsula.
- In 2015 a major “Peace Deal” was signed for de-escalation and cease Fire Agreement was signed. But still, tension across the border areas prevailed.
- Nov & Dec 2021 – Russia moving troops for a potential invasion despite sanctions from other countries.
- Feb 2022 – Russia recognizes the territorial claims of its 2 proxy states in East Ukraine and a full-fledged war broke out.
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Why Russia Is obsessed With Ukraine:
- There’s a Russian adage that you can’t have a Russian Empire without Ukraine, owing to its long cultural and economic history as the beating heart of the defunct Soviet Union. And Putin is hell-bent on re-creating a new empire to restore his declining country to superpower relevance.
- Culturally and Historically Russia and Ukraine always have been part of One large domain. And now the closer ties of Ukraine with the EU make Putin think twice about the plan of action.
- Similarly, Ukraine sits like a massive land barrier between Russia and Europe to the West.
- Ukraine is the largest, a minerals-rich vast land of fertile fields. And Russia Depends on Ukraine for Transportation of Natural Gas to European lands.
Current Situation:
- Following Putin’s invasion early on Thursday, explosions were reported in several areas of Ukraine and air sirens went off in Kyiv, indicating that the capital city is under attack. Shortly afterward, the Russian defense ministry said that Ukraine’s air bases and military infrastructure has been neutralized.
- Zelensky declared martial law in the country and the Ukrainian foreign minister vowed to fight and defeat Russia. For days now, the Russia-Ukraine borders have seen large deployments of Russian military columns. Tensions had climbed after Putin recognized two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent and ordered the deployment of what he called peacekeepers.
- Ukraine said that at least seven people were killed and nine wounded by Russian shelling, as per a Reuters report.
The Response Of World & India:
- USA: US President Joe Biden said that they would continue to provide support to Ukraine and that the world will hold Russia accountable for the military onslaught. He called the attack “unprovoked and unjustified”.
- UK: The UK and its allies will respond decisively to Russia’s “unprovoked” attack on Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
- France: condemned Russia’s decision to ‘wage war on Ukraine’. “Russia must immediately put an end to its military operations,” France President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Twitter, saying Russia had decided to “wage war” on Ukraine.
- Italy: Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi on Thursday lashed Russia’s attack on Ukraine as “unjustified and unjustifiable,” saying Europe and NATO were working on an immediate response.
- Japan: Russia’s attack on Ukraine “shakes the foundation of the international order”, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday, strongly condemning the military incursion.
- India: India called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine and cautioned that the situation is in danger of spiraling into a major crisis, just as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to launch a ‘military operation’ in eastern Ukraine.
Conclusion:
- With Russian lawmakers having authorized Putin to use military force outside the country and Ukraine surrounded on three sides by more than 150,000 troops, the rumble of tanks did not appear far off.
- Further Ukraine responded: “People of Ukraine and the government of Ukraine want peace,” he said in Russian. “But if we come under an attack that threatens our freedom and the lives of our people, we will fight back.”
- Zelenskyy said he asked for a call with Putin late Wednesday, but the Kremlin didn’t respond.
- Hopes from across the world poured. wherein all the concerned parties seek out peace and an logical solution to come up as early as possible.
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