Drops of Jupiter

Thousands of miles away, catastrophe is brewing. Millions of Ukraine civilians are suffering from Russian airstrikes and merciless bombings. Nurses huddle over babies in makeshift hospitals, children are dying in collapsing buildings, and families are being torn apart. Widespread famine is depreciating significantly, and is also infecting surrounding countries. After ONE day, there are already 100,000 refugees fleeing from the turmoil that has erupted in their nation. Surrounding countries are at risk, too, since Russia do whatever it takes to immobilize Ukraine.

When Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” on February 24, 2022 to demilitarize Ukraine, the world was shocked. From the safety of our homes, we see the pure terror of not only a nation, but all of Europe on the brink of war. Political leaders and reporters are calling this the “biggest conflict in Europe since World War 2.” What would lead Russia to unveil such a vicious attack on Ukraine, and what are they planning on doing next?

In order to understand the current turmoil, it is essential to look back into the history of these two nations. Ukraine was once a part of the Soviet Union; however, once it collapsed Ukraine became an independent country in 1991. Since then, Ukraine has been fostering political alliances with the European Union, NATO, and other Western powers. Russian leaders, however, see their independence and connections to the West as a direct threat to them, believing that the “Western propaganda” will infiltrate Russian politics and national stability. In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine, acting on the belief that Ukraine was in better hands with Russia. Put simply, Putin does not support Ukraine being an independent nation and believes that Russia has the authority to rule over them like they once did.

Once Ukraine officially joined NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in 2020, President Putin began making direct threats of invasion. As we have seen, on February 25, 2022, he acted on these threats. In President Biden’s press conference, he called the recent attacks “premeditated” and noted that they violated international laws and was therefore an illegal invasion.

The bombings have been targeted at the most populated parts of Ukraine, so civilian deaths are skyrocketing. In response to the initial airstrike, the Ukraine president sent out large numbers of troops to defend the borders, and there were immense casualties on both sides. Today, 200,000 Russian troops stand at the border, and it is suspected that they will remain until Ukraine is seized.

Most of the world is questioning why this tragedy is happening and what the aftermath will look like. Russia’s goal is likely to overthrow the current leadership in Ukraine and install another Soviet-Union-type political structure. As nations in Europe and North America swiftly provide economic, political, and military aid, Putin delivers a chilling threat:

“[Those who are trying to support Ukraine] will face consequences you have never seen.”

Could this be a threat of nuclear warfare?

One thing is for certain: Russian leaders are unpredictable and whether we care to admit it or not, they hold great influence over the world. We all must be aware of the history in the making so that we can avoid worldwide catastrophe.

Works Cited

Hess, Liam. “What Is Happening in Ukraine, and How to Help.” Vogue, 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.vogue.com/article/ukraine-russia-crisis-explainer-how-to-help. 

“The Ukraine Crisis.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 2022, https://www.economist.com/ukraine-crisis?utm_medium=cpc.adword.pd&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=a.russia.2022-02-18&utm_content=conversion.non-brand.anonymous&gclid=CjwKCAiA9tyQBhAIEiwA6tdCrKa8lisQjtE3KEXzyTa4oGpRL91cEbPGRWGvJtXvnGiFwHp3RbKrYhoCjwgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds. 

“Ukraine Invasion: What Happened, Where Is under Attack and What Could Be next?” Sky News, 2022, https://news.sky.com/story/russia-ukraine-crisis-what-is-happening-and-where-after-full-scale-invasion-12550062. 

“The Ukraine-Russia Crisis: What Is Happening?” International Rescue Committee (IRC), 24 Feb. 2022, https://www.rescue.org/article/ukraine-russia-crisis-what-happening.