Ukraine’s crisis began with protests in Kiev in November 2013 against President Victor Yanukovych’s decision to reject an agreement on economic integration with the European Union. President Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014 after escalating the conflict.
Later that year, Russian troops began occupying Crimea’s territory in Ukraine, and in a referendum, the Crimean people voted in favor of the Russian Federation. Then, before formally annexing the peninsula, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed the need to protect the rights of Russian citizens in southeastern Ukraine. As a result, it exacerbated ethnic divisions in Ukraine, and pro-Russian elements in the East called for a referendum on independence from Ukraine.
Accordingly, separatist clashes between eastern Ukraine and Ukraine began in 2014. It then escalated into an international crisis in July of the same year, and in 2015 Russia sought to end the Ukraine conflict through the Minsk Agreement. However, that attempt failed. But both sides are pointing fingers at each other for failing. Later in 2017 the United States added their military power to Ukraine and they too entered the war.
With the presidency of Donald Trump in the United States, Russia continued to press for the liberation of eastern Ukraine. Then in 2018, the United States imposed sanctions on a number of Russian officials. In addition, Russia continued to launch cyber-attacks against Ukraine, which caused Ukraine to suffer a major setback. Later, the United States intervened and made the country’s cyberspace more secure.
However, seven years after 2014, the crisis is still unresolved. Russian troops are on high alert on the Russian-Ukrainian border. Also, sanctions against Russia threaten Russia’s financial crisis. Russia has also been expelled from the G8 and G7 unions, according to foreign media reports.
Ukraine has been hit hardest by the crisis, which has left 14,619 dead and 2,000 missing. More than 24,000 people were injured.
Foreign media have reported that Ukraine is expected to discuss the crisis with Russia within 48 hours today, but so far there has been no response from Russia.
US President says Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine, but Russian President Putin says they do not want to do so. However, more than 100,000 Russian troops are stationed along the border.
Russia – Ukraine Border
A group of Russian troops encircling the border
Heshani Karunaratne