Russia's Illegal War
The Build up and First Days Of The Russo-Ukraine War
The Prelude
To understand the illegal invasion that Putin has launched on Ukraine first the history of Ukraine should be explode to give context on the location and difficult jounrney Ukraine has been through to become an independent nation.
A Troubled History
For much of history the independent state of Uktraine did not exist. During Medieval Europe a powerful state called Rus' land was born which developed into Ukrainian lands.
The Ukrainian lands fell under the rule of the neighboring states of Lithuania and Poland, merging into one of the most powerful monarchies in Europe.
c.1720 Ukraine
From the 18th-20th Century, Ukrainians lands were part of the Austrian and Russian empires with the Ukrainian people taking part in the Napoleonic Wars.
The beginning of World War 1 saw the down fall of the empires with Ukraine attempting with build its own nation and he borderlands became arenas of radical nationalisation and social collapse.
During 1917 the idea of a shared future with Russia became less and less attractive to the Ukrainian people with the imperialistic attitudes not being held by Ukrainians.
In January 1918 with the Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia was the final straw and the Rada declared Ukraine an independent state.
However just weeks later the Red Army seized Kyiv. Ukraine turned to Germany for help, however in return Ukraine's leadership was replaced with one of Berlins choosing .
Territories claimed by the Ukrainian Peoples Republic, 1917-1920
After the end of the Second World War Ukraine fell under the control of the Soviet Union.
By 1989 anti-communism protests were sweeping across Ukraine with people waving the yellow and blue flag which had been banned under Soviet rule
In 1991 a failed coup in Moscow resulted in the Ukrainian government declaring independence from the Soivet Union after a vote of 92% in favour.
The Soviet Union dissolved on December 26 1991.
In 2014 Russia annexed Crimea brought on by a destabilised Ukrainian government and street protests in Kyiv. This event can be seen as the beginning of the bloodshed in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. In March 2014 Crimea voted for leaving Ukraine, in a referendum which much of the west saw as illegal.
Crimea
In April 2014 40,000 Russiam troops gatheed at the Ukrainian border. Russian supported sepertist groups storm the government buildings in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhans and these regions declare independance from Ukraine although the regions remian internationally recognised as part of Ukraine.
Putin's Paradox
The eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhans, collectivley known as the Donbas region have been controlled by the Moscow backed sepertist groups for almsot 8 years. During this some the regions have become totalitarian, North Korea-like statelets where the statue of Valdimir Lenin is still the centre of the town and loyal citizens monitor the phone calls, emails and movements of inhabitants of the region.
The conflict between the Russian backed sepertists and Ukrainian forces over the last 8 years has left almsot 14,000 people dead. During this time Russia has denied being involved in the conflict despite offering covert military support, financial aid, supplies of COVID-19 vaccines.
Russia claims that since 2019 over 70,000 Russian passport have been issued to residents of the Donbas region and has allowed them to apply for Russian citizenship. The Kremlin have also stated that they provide the wages to those working in the public sector in the Donbas. The region also uses the Russian rouble as their currancy and the Russian curriculum is follow in schools
January - February 2022
The build up of Russian troops and equipment on the Ukrainian borders with aerial photos
Before Russia launched it's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 2022, the military has been amassing its forces on the Ukrainian border in the largest build up of military equipment and personnel that Europe had seen since the Cold War. Thanks to satellite imagery it was possible for the world to see the mass of troops being assembled by Russia, however Putin denied that an invasion was being planned.
The Horror Begins
24 February 2022
Vladimir Putin decarded war on Ukraine at 06:00 in Moscow, after which Ukraine reported that the cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv and Dnipro had been subjected to attacks as well as artillery fire on the border.
Christo Grozev on Twitter: "! Ukraine's central military command reports Russia bombed several airports, including Kyiv Boryspil, Nikolaev, Kramatorsk, Kherson. Kharkiv military airport is burning. pic.twitter.com/IOrfGZgPL4 / Twitter"
What happened on the first day of the invasion?
Fleeing The Bloodshed
The UN have stated that they believe at least 12 million people have fled their home since Russia invaded Ukraine with seven million thought to be displaced within Ukraine. The president of the European Commission stated that the EU will 'provide protection to those seeking shelter'. Many men have stayed in Ukraine to help fight while women, children and the vulnerable have left Ukraine alone. It has also been noted the number of unaccompanied children who have been sent away from Ukraine as their parents feel they cannot leave the country.
Welcomed by their neighbors
Ukrainian refugees who have been able to reach the EU have been able to registair for temporary protection, as the scale of the invasion of Ukraine grew the number of counties where Ukrainians could claim an alyssum grew, some of these countries include; Norway, Spain, Iceland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Latvia, Greece,
Ukrainian Refugee Numbers Across Europe - BBC News
The Capture of Chernobyl
At 9am on 24 Februrary Russian military vechicles appeared in the plant CCTV systems with tanks reaching the main administration building at around 14:00 the same day. The Ukrainian national guard put up no fight ans laid down theit weapons. By the evening all key locations in Chernobyl were manned by Russian forces.
The effects of the Russians entering Chernobyl were soon felt with the radioactvity sensor alarming on 25 February 2022 meaning that the levels of radioactive dust had risen above a certain level due to the heavy machinery the Russians were moving about.
There is great concern over if the levels of military activity around the reactors increase and if the front line of battle becomes close to the nuclear site as there maybe further effects this will have on the levels of radioactive dust being detected.
Map showing the location of Chernobyl in Ukraine
No End In Sight
The war is now in its secnd years and with winter coming to an end Putin will likely ready his troops for an offensive in the spring much like Napoleon, Hitler and Stalin did. What Putin decides to do in the spring of 2023 will likely provide pivitol in the war. Putin has claimed that he has 50,000 troops ready and a further 250,000 currently undergoing training to be ready to join his war.
Land held by Russian forces on 15 February 2023
There is little hope for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. The west has made it clear that they stand with Ukraine and belives that the only possible outcomes from the war is one that is of Russian defeat. However the Russians most likely think the complete opposite.
