Why Did Russia Invade Ukraine? or trying to
invade. There are multiple reason and some of them are discussed in following
section of the blog. But, before everything we need to understand the
historical development of Russian-Ukraine conflict in brief. The history of
Ukraine's partition from Russia is a complex and tumultuous tale, marked by
shifting political alliances, territorial disputes, and struggles for independence.
It primarily revolves around two major periods of partition: the
Russo-Ukrainian War during 2014-2015 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in
1991.
The Dissolution of the Soviet Union (1991): As the Soviet Union
began to crumble in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Ukrainian people
demanded greater autonomy and independence from Moscow. In August 1991, a
failed coup attempt in Moscow accelerated the process of independence for
Ukraine. On August 24, 1991, the Ukrainian parliament declared the country's
independence, effectively breaking away from the Soviet Union. Russia initially
recognized Ukraine's independence, and on December 1, 1991, Ukrainians
confirmed their independence in a referendum with an overwhelming majority.
The Crimea Crisis (2014-2015): In late 2013, protests known as the Euromaidan movement erupted in Ukraine, sparked by President Viktor Yanukovych's refusal to sign an association agreement with the European Union. The protests led to Yanukovych's ousting in February 2014. In response to the political upheaval in Kyiv, Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014. This move was widely condemned by the international community, which viewed it as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The annexation was followed by the outbreak of conflict in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where separatist groups, allegedly backed by Russia, declared self-proclaimed republics.
Ukraine and NATO: After gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine initially pursued a policy of non-alignment. However, over time, Ukraine started seeking closer ties with the European Union and NATO as a means of enhancing its security and stability. In 2002, Ukraine formally expressed its interest in joining NATO, and this aspiration was reaffirmed in subsequent years. Ukraine’s path towards NATO membership gained momentum during and after the Russo-Ukrainian War that began in 2014. Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine heightened Ukraine's security concerns, leading to increased efforts to integrate with NATO. Ukraine's aspirations for NATO membership have been met with a mix of support and skepticism from NATO member states. The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict and geopolitical considerations have made the issue complex and challenging to resolve.
