If you’ve been following this story for any length of time, then you’ve probably been wondering if the Russians are really winning the war in Ukraine. Both sides are using the Soviet Union as a dark period of history to portray their country. However, Russia has been engaged in a difficult exercise of critiquing the Soviet era during the perestroika period and the early 1990s. In contrast, Putin has emphasized the positive contributions of the Soviet era.
In a nutshell, both sides are arguing that the Ukrainian invasion was an unprovoked military action launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February of 2022, sparking the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II. While Ukraine has mounted a strong defense, the Russian bombing and shelling have killed countless civilians and led to an immense refugee crisis. However, both sides are not letting up.
President Putin has called for retaliatory military action and called the West aggressive. Nato’s secretary general has warned of a “real danger of conflict” in the post-Soviet region. In addition, Russia has increased the number of its military forces and has deployed them to Belarus to conduct military exercises. While Russia’s deputy foreign minister has denied plans to invade Ukraine, President Putin has not ruled out military action in the immediate future.
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, calling for a peaceful end to the conflict. France has also sent an S-300 mobile anti-aircraft system, as part of a G7 initiative to help the Ukrainian people. In the meantime, the EU and the United States will bolster their defenses in Europe. In a rare move, both countries will make a statement about the Russian Vs Ukraine situation and what should be done.