An Overview of the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict
Mona Muça
Recently, tension between Ukraine and Russia has greatly increased. As this dispute persists, people and organizations from around the world have been providing help for Ukraine.
The capital city of Ukraine, Kyiv, is one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded in 482, whereas the capital of Russia, Moscow, was founded in 1147. Ukrainian people are an East Slavic group, the seventh-largest nation in Europe and the second-largest among the East Slavs after the Russians. Ukraine gained independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 after a referendum was placed on December 1st, 1991. Over 90% of Ukrainian citizens voted overwhelmingly to leave, including 56% in Crimea which contained a Russian population of 75%.
Ukraine’s interest in joining NATO in order to be covered by the security guarantee in the Alliance's founding treaty was considered a hostile act by the Russian Government and the Russian Elite who are against the fact that NATO has doubled its membership since the end of the Cold War in 1989. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, called for tight restrictions on the United States and NATO political and military activities and to end NATO’s eastward expansion. On the other hand, Kyiv’s goal of gaining NATO membership has been established, triggering Russia’s expansion in Ukraine. Russian occupation in Ukraine has been condemned by the majority of the world’s leaders and has been referred to as a “brutal act of war.”
NATO has already sent weapons to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion. The EU has promised to provide hundreds of million euros to help arm Ukraine. Russia, on the other hand, has put its nuclear forces on "special alert" to counter what it calls “NATO aggression.” The Russian army is currently advancing in Ukrainian territory and destroying buildings, hospitals, and infrastructures, showing little regard for civilian lives. In the city of Mariupol alone, 2,187 residents have been killed. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky declared that 1,300 Ukrainian soldiers have died in battle since the beginning of the war on February 24th. More than 2.5 million refugees have left Ukraine as Russian attacks have proven deadly for civilians.
Many Ukrainians in Russian-occupied areas have gone out to protest. In response, Russian forces have gained control over Kherson Mayor Ihor Kolykhayev’s TV towers and are using this to capture transmitted data. They have also detained Ukrainian advocates. On March 6th, more than 4,300 people were arrested in cities across Russia for protesting against Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
NATO has called on Russia to withdraw its military assault and forces from Ukraine. On March 13th, tens of thousands of individuals assembled all over Europe to protest against Russian control in Ukraine. NATO has described Russia’s attacks on Ukraine as “unprovoked and unjustified” and has been providing Ukraine with financial and medical assistance. The majority of the world is currently supporting Ukraine through donations and protests.
If you are interested in helping Ukraine, you can donate to Ukrainian organizations such as The Ukrainian Red Cross, The Kyiv School of Economics, and the Voices of Children.
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