Civil War or Invasion: 4 Facts About the Russian/Ukraine Conflict
Brief History:
Ukraine has been an independent state since 1991 and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the two nations continued to hold close ties. In the past two decades, there have been several significant events affecting the balance of power between the two nations. One of the events was in December 1994 when Ukraine agreed to give up its substantial nuclear arsenal at Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurance. The condition of this agreement being Russia and other signing countries would issue an assurance against threats or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. Just a few years later Russia also signed the Charter for European Security, the act “reaffirmed the inherent right of each and every participating State to be free to choose or change its security arrangements, including treaties of alliance, as they evolve”. The annexation of Crimea in 2014 would prove these agreements illegitimate.
Russia’s motivations to break such agreements are clearly on display. The unstable and economically regressive nation sees Ukraine as a catalyst for Russian rise to garner global influence. Despite the obvious flex of power the military effort projects to the rest of the world, Ukraine also offers Russia possession over in-demand natural resources including oil and natural gas.
Revolution or Invasion?
The annexation of Crimea in 2014 has just been the beginning of what has turned into a modern European-soil shadow war, reminiscent of Hitler’s annexation of Austria (a preliminary event to WWII). The most recent report from the United Nations Ukraine reflects the following territory occupied and the areas of armed conflict. The full report covers an array of human rights violation occurring on both sides. With such documented cases, one questions why there has been no military intervention from one of its supporting countries. The answer to why countries have been so inactive during this shadow war is because Russia has continued to deny any involvement in the fighting.
In parts of Eastern Europe and Russia this conflict is portrayed as a civil war. The fighting stemming from internal influences in Ukraine, causing civilians to rise up to counter the Ukrainian government and advocated for Russian absorption. Whereas the Western World sees it has a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ military event, believing Russian troops are directly involved, and this because there is heavy evidence confirming such assumptions. Also recently Putin has been more vocal about Russia’s support over the war. During such events which are surrounded in chaos and blame, it is important to boil down the situation and discern the facts. The following list goes over four known events happening in Ukraine:
Quick Facts:
1.The Little Green Men: Masked soldiers that are donned in unmarked green uniforms are possessing an extensive Russian arsenal and gear including 7.62 mm PKP machine guns, 6B26 composite helmets, 6Sh92–5 tactical vests, and 6Sh92–5 tactical vests. These items have led to speculation these ‘Green Men’ belong to the 45th Guards Independent Reconnaissance Brigade.
2. Psychological warfare: In our modern world, Russia is leading techniques utilizing cellphones and social media to demoralize Ukrainian troops. The methods include texting threats to Ukrainian soldiers. The Ukrainian military has concluded that Russian military forces have been able to launch such campaigns by taking over the local cellphone network with mobile jamming stations. Messages Ukrainian soldiers are receiving are similar to below:
3. Deaths: According to the United Nations Office of Human Rights, over 33,000 people have been killed in this conflict, half of them being citizens. The US State Department acknowledges that July 20th was “deadliest one-day period in 2017” following the deaths of nine Ukrainian soldiers who were fighting in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Mariupol.
4. Clear Russian Influence: The Western World has taken that aggregate evidence of this conflict to assure that Russia is directly involved in the tragic military occupation. Originally Russia denied any involvement or knowledge in Ukraine but during November 2016 President Putin announced that his government was “forced to defend the Russian speakers” of eastern Ukraine. The military conflict has been posed by Russia has a civil war between pro-Ukraine and pro-Russian forces. Yet as the facade fades the civilized world is faced with an unnerving military predicament. To asses if diplomacy will be enough to lift the fighting and death in Ukraine and release them from Russian pressure.
As the United States faces its own battle over Russian influence both domestically as well internationally, it is important to understand the state of the world. In hope that with education comes drastic change and the power of everyday citizens to pressure world powers to what is in the best interest of our planet and our people.
Interested in learning more about the events in Ukraine? The Center for Strategic and International Studies offers an in-depth timeline of events dating back to 2014, which can be found here.
Written by AltDIA, an #altgovt twitter resistance leader dedicated to educating and inspiring the people.
