The Conflict Between Russia and Ukraine
April 20, 2022
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine after Russia began moving thousands of troops onto their border that connects with Ukraine in early 2021. During this invasion, Russia began attacking cities throughout Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, and many more.
To understand the invasion of Ukraine we need to go back and learn the full background between Russia and Ukraine. In the late 1700s, most of Ukraine’s territory became a part of the Russian Empire. Though, in the early 20th century, Ukraine fought back for its independence but lost and became part of the Soviet Union. After the Soviet Union fell, Ukraine finally earned its independence in 1991. Putin declared an invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014, Putin claiming the assault was a defense of ethnic Russians who live in the Donbas region. Russia annexed the Crimea Peninsula and Russia has now controlled the territory since 2014.
February 24, 2022, was a day to change everyone’s lives forever. Putin announced that he was going to launch a “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine. Putin also had claimed “there were no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory and that he supported the right of the peoples of Ukraine to self-determination.” (WIKIPEDIA). Within minutes of this announcement, bomb eruptions were reported in Odesa, Kharkiv, Donbas, and Kyiv. Unfortunately, from that point on more attacks would follow.
The fight for Ukraine has been brutal and tiresome. Thousands of civilian casualties, millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine to neighboring countries, and many cities were destroyed. Some of these atrocities include the strike on a Ukrainian maternity hospital, a Russian rocket attack on Kramatorsk train station, unfortunately leaving over 50 dead, and much more. We can only help support Ukraine and hope for everyone’s safety throughout this horrific war.
Sources:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-kramatorsk-train-station-donetsk-strike/
https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine
AJ Feleppa • Sep 1, 2023 at 11:55 am
This article was written very well and I can tell she took their time. Goes into very good detail and she very thoroughly explained her main points.
landon plyler • Sep 1, 2023 at 11:53 am
It interested me to see how Russia could just take over a country and turn it into the soviet union and drive those people out of their homes. It shows that they are very bad people with no sympathy
Joe • Sep 1, 2023 at 11:45 am
This is a very interesting but sad topic. As this war is still ongoing, I hope to see it end soon with less deaths everyday.