Ben Meyler | Writer
February 28, 2022
After an ongoing feud between Russia and Ukraine, Russia and Ukraine are now officially at war. This began last Thursday when the Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that he was launching a “special military operation” in Ukraine. This move was followed up by reports of explosions around multiple cities, including the capital Kyiv, and Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces are moving into Kyiv with the goal of regime change, and the United States government officials have warned that Kyiv may fall soon.
Russia is upset with Ukraine’s previous interest in joining NATO, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (also called the North Atlantic Alliance), an intergovernmental military union between two North American countries and 28 European countries. Putin said he views the idea of Ukraine joining the Western military alliance as a hostile act and a direct threat to Russia. In December, Putin gave the U.S. and NATO a list of security demands, one of which being an agreement that Ukraine will never enter NATO. This proposal was quickly rejected by the U.S. and its allies. In a televised delivery, Putin advised other countries that any attempt to interfere would “lead to consequences you have never seen in history.”
“I feel the Russian military will overpower the Ukrainian people quickly after the initial battles,” said senior Liam Smith. “The United States should get involved as letting one democracy fall opens the door to the next.”
Many Ukrainians have left their homes to seek safety in nearby countries or territories but some refused to leave, or are unable to among the chaos. Ukrainian officials told the residents to “make Molotov cocktails” [glass bottle bombs] to defend against the Russian invasion. The Russian army has not been able to completely dismantle Ukrainian forces, and some analysts believe that Moscow may have been shocked by the strong resistance.
Ukraine’s resistance has further complicated Russia’s efforts to overrun the country. The more prolonged this war becomes, the more disastrous it will be. As we hear about the conflict going on, it is important to consider the affects on the Ukrainian people who have to fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
“The way Putin is going about this seems very old-fashioned,” senior Magdalena (Maggie) Alexander said. “I wanted to think that a full war wouldn’t break out after so many years of peace in Europe, but everything seems to be very messy at the moment and that frightens me. I don’t want the U.S. to get involved, but at the same time, the Ukrainian people can’t fight Russia alone. If this results in them needing our help, then I would support [U.S. military intervention] for the safety of their people,” Alexander added.
An end to this war is difficult to foresee as bombs are falling on Ukraine each day, but the U.S. and its allies will have to be careful in deciding how much they want to, or can, support Ukraine in its battles against Russia.
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