Russia-Ukraine War, The temperature was nearly 20 degrees below freezing point on February 24, 2022, when millions of Ukrainians awoke to the sirens of the alarming state of emergency. Although the citizens were aware of Russia’s nefarious intentions, they were unaware that a roller-coaster ride awaited them.
Just minutes after the chaotic sunrise, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared on television screens with a terrifying announcement of what he dubbed a “special military operation.” Putin said he was “left with no other option” but to launch a full-scale war against his neighboring country. The acknowledgment came nearly a month after Western intelligence detected Putin’s intentions when he began amassing Russian troops and battle tanks near border areas.
During his 30-minute long speech, the Russian President cited two reasons for his vicious action – Ukraine’s desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – among 30 member states – 28 European and two North American nations An intergovernmental military alliance. And the second was — Ukraine’s alleged atrocities on the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic.
Zelensky, the man of hope
While it was clear that the way forward for Ukraine would not be a ‘bed of roses’, it was highly anticipated that its President, Volodymyr Zelensky, would flee the country, leaving his countrymen in turbulent conditions amidst the fact that the United States had imposed an Ensured safe passage for him.
Instead, the actor-turned-president filmed a subversive video of himself along with four of his close aides on a dark street outside the presidential offices. “We are all here,” the 45-year-old leader said in a declaration of his determination to stay in Kiev and defend his freedom.
Subsequently, in order to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, President Zelensky signed a decree on the general mobilization of the population—that is, males between the ages of 18–60 were prohibited from leaving the country. Within hours, a huge queue of vehicles was seen in the country, with desperate citizens waiting for more than 48 hours to cross the borders.
how it started
First, Putin launched an offensive near the border areas and eventually moved towards Kiev, the national capital of Ukraine. However, amid international condemnation commit war crimes, the assailant took a U-turn and left the national capital. In addition, Russian forces occupied the Chernobyl site – a nuclear site where a disaster killed more than 100 people in 1986. This attracted worldwide international condemnation and nuclear watchdogs warned of potential repercussions.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military has dealt a significant blow to Russia after sinking Russia’s Black Sea Fleet flagship- Russia’s Moskva. In May, the war-torn country lost its strategic port city of Mariupol and later Russia captured Liman, formerly an important transit hub. In June, the Russian army captured the eastern city of Sivierodonetsk after heavy fighting.
By this time, the consequences were felt in almost every corner of the world, especially in African countries, which were still heavily dependent on Ukrainian grain to feed their already malnourished children and women. Later, the United Nations and Turkey struck a deal that finally eased the food supply.
Putin’s referendum
Subsequently, between July and October, President Putin escalated the war and captured several regions, including Severodonetsk, after Ukrainian forces allegedly blew up a section of the Crimea bridge. In addition, it held plebiscites in the four occupied territories– Kherson, Luhansk Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk– and declared all regions that voted in favor of the Kremlin. In November, the Ukrainian military claimed they had pushed the Russians out of Kherson and back across the Dnieper River that divides the country.
call to arms
In December last year, President Zelensky Visits the United States– the first time he has left Ukraine since Putin ravaged the country with a brutal war. Throughout his speech, he urged Congress to provide fierce weapons to shatter the will of the Russian military. Later, he landed in the United Kingdom and urged the House of Commons to expedite military aid. Significantly, since the war escalated, he appeared in the Parliament of many countries through video conferencing, where he continuously talked about military support.
human loss
it is clear that war always comes with a high cost of human life, According to the latest United Nations Office for Human Rights (OHCHR) figures, at least 8,000 non-combatants have been confirmed killed – with more than 13,300 wounded. When Russian troops retreated in late March, they left behind a trail of more than 1,200 bodies. Mass killings took place in the neighboring areas of the national capital – Bucha and Irpin where more than 458 bodies were found at one place.
The human rights group underlined that the real number should be much higher – a hard truth that the group reiterated every time it published the human toll.
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economic turmoil
On the day Russia announced the so-called “special military operation”, hundreds of multinational companies applied or suspended their operations or moved their factories out of the country. This not only dealt a major blow to the Russian economy but also had an impact on the global economy. Even many European countries including the US and the UK are currently facing the brunt of energy sanctions imposed by the European Union on Moscow.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) slashed growth expectations for this year and 2022, equating to $1 trillion in lost output. Rising inflation means that families in developed countries have lost income, along with higher bill and loan payments. In addition, poor countries already facing dire food prices have been hit even harder, adding to the disruption caused by the pandemic, and stalling global progress in lifting millions of people out of poverty.
road ahead
With no sign of peace in sight, Ukraine and Russia are emerging from a winter standoff determined to fight for strategic goals that are deadly opposites. As Ukraine seeks to push Russia back to its internationally recognized borders, its propelled forces are now armed with more powerful offensive weapons coming from the West. A well-known international strategic expert argued during a televised debate that the war would not end until one side gained enough leverage to force negotiated terms.