Vladimir Putin, Russia’s world leader, decided to invade Ukraine on Thursday, February 24th because he felt as though Ukraine was a threat to his nation. Putin argued that the Ukrainian government was that similar to the Nazi Party and that they needed to interfere in order to stop the genocides that were occurring. This was later found to be false and an excuse for invasion. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine has pushed for more Westernized ideas which Russia scorns. They aimed at a full democracy for their people and have attempted to join NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Russia had planned to take over Ukraine’s capitol of Kyiv, not expecting strong resistance from Ukrainian troops. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands with his military to resist in defense.
Over 3 million people from Ukraine have fled their homes because of the dangerous situation happening in their country, many of those being women and children. According to the International Rescue Committee, “Women and girls, especially those travelling alone, could be at risk for exploitation and abuse.” These women will have no access to healthcare services and an estimated 80,000 Ukrainian women are pregnant expecting to have a baby in the next year. Giving birth could be life-threatening without access to medicine and doctors. The United Nations have said that this could be the largest refugee problem in Europe since World War 2. Russian military has been targeting the homes and infrastructure of civilians. Over 2 million people are displaced within Ukraine having no access to heat, electricity, or shelter against the dangerous shells and bombing across the country. Also, around 700 civilians have been reported dead thus far within the war. The Ukrainian people are facing suffering and hardship which has led many to say that this war has caused a large-scale humanitarian crisis. After COVID-19, the country of Ukraine was already facing economic struggles, and after this war, it may be difficult to ever recover financially.
Because of this large crisis, other countries have taken steps to aid Ukraine in any way possible. The United States have given over 1 billion dollars to Ukraine to aid their military power. The United States have also provided Ukraine with defense weapons that can prevent bombs from touching the soil. Also, the European Union has sent 450 million euros worth of weaponry aid to Ukraine. Other countries that have sent some amounts of weaponry or financial aid are the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, and many more. All of this help has been greatly affected Ukraine and aided them in defense against Russia.
The most recent news on the crisis in Ukraine has been president Zelenskyy’s announcement that he was willing to become neutral in order to end the war. Discussions between the two leaders to settle in an agreement to end the war are taking place, but conclusions have not yet been met.
The crisis in Ukraine has struck the hearts of many around the world with compassion and empathy. Many organizations have taken up donations and food packages to send over to the country in need. At Assumption, students have created a drive to raise money for Ukraine by letting students who bring in 3 dollars participate in a dress down day.
By: Caroline Hamilton
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56720589
https://www.rescue.org/article/ukraine-russia-crisis-what-happening
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/28/which-countries-are-sending-military-aid-to-ukraine