On Thursday, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the “aim of the special military operation was to protect Russia and demilitarise Ukraine”.
Why did Russia hate Ukraine the most?
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been trying to assert control over Ukraine, which was once part of the Russian empire and the USSR (Soviet Union). After the collapse of the USSR, the United States and European powers added many of its allies, such as Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Czech Republic, to NATO, the military alliance. In 2008, NATO said former Soviet states Ukraine and Georgia could also join NATO. This has angered the Russian President the most.
When did the recent Ukraine-Russia conflict begin?
The recent conflict dates back to the Maidan Revolution in February 2014. Hundreds of Ukrainians were killed in the protests against the Russia-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych. The protest eventually led to the ouster of Yanukovych.
How did Russia react to the protests?
Russia responded to it by annexing Crimea in March. In April, Russia-supported militias seized government buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk. These groups declared independence in May, 2014 as the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic. Together, these regions are known as Donbas.
What happened next?
As expected Ukrainian forces tried to retake the lost region, but they could not overcome the Russian challenge. The Russians threatened to capture more areas in Ukraine. A peace deal among Russia, Ukraine and separatists restored normalcy. The agreement was known as Minsk-1.
What was the fate of the Minsk-1 peace deal?
Minsk - 1 peace deal was short lived. A full scale fighting began in January 2015. World leaders resolved the crisis with another peace deal known as Minsk -2. Separatists got control of large swathes of Donbas region after the peace deal.
Did the peace deals bring actual peace to the region?
The region continued to be tense despite the two peace deals. According to official data, more than 14,000 people have been killed in the region since 2014. This gives an idea about the gravity of the unrest.
How did the current crisis escalate?
Leaders of the breakaway regions moved civilians to Russia while holding back men of fighting age. In recent weeks Putin assembled up to 190,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders. On February 21, he recognised Donetsk and Luhans as independent states. Later, he endorsed separatists’ claims to the whole of the Donbas.
