The sixth day has passed since the Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine, sparking fierce combat and airstrikes across the nation. According to Ukraine, 352 people have been dead since Russia’s invasion. Russia-Ukraine discussions have begun along the border with Belarus. Ukraine has stated that the purpose of the discussions is to reach a quick cease-fire. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has commanded that the nuclear deterrent forces be placed under a “special regime of combat duty”. It is by the defence minister and the chief of the military’s General Staff as a part of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Belgium, Finland, and Canada have joined the list of nations that have closed their airspace to Russian jets. It is in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. In addition, western nations, led by the United States, recently imposed new economic penalties against Russia.
Overview of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
The Russo-Ukrainian War is a continuing conflict between Russia, Belarus, and pro-Russian troops and Ukraine on the other. Conflict erupted in February 2014, following the Dignity Revolution, and was centred on the status of Crimea and sections of the Donbas, which are globally accepted as being part of Ukraine. The Russian annexation of Crimea (2014), the War in Donbas (2014–present), maritime incidents, cyberwarfare, and political tensions were part of the conflict. Russia provided military support to the Donbas rebels while attempting to conceal its role. Russia started a large-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, following military buildups on Ukraine’s borders in 2021.
Pro-Russian rioting erupted in regions of Ukraine following the Euromaidan demonstrations and the subsequent overthrow of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on February 22, 2014. Russian forces wearing no insignia gained control of vital locations and infrastructure in Ukraine’s Crimea. Russia’s Federation Council voted overwhelmingly on March 1 to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring military force across Ukraine. Unidentified Russian forces stormed the Crimean Parliament, and Russia staged a highly condemned referendum, the result of which was Crimea’s accession to Russia.
Crimea Annexation
After that, it annexed Crimea. Pro-Russian protests in Ukraine’s Donbas area erupted in April into a battle between the militia of Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics. Unmarked Russian military trucks crossed the border into Donetsk Oblast in August. The incursion was blamed for Ukrainian forces being defeated in early September.
The Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) detected convoys of unmarked troops and heavy equipment in the separatist-held Donbas in November 2014, which the Ukrainian military said originated from Russia. OSCE monitors also reported seeing trucks transferring munitions disguised as humanitarian assistance convoys and troops killed in combat being carried back to Russia. According to The Moscow Times, Russia attempted to intimidate and suppress human rights workers who reported the fatalities of Russian service members in the fight. According to the OSCE, its monitors were refused entry to regions controlled by “combined Russian-separatist troops.”
The Russian government revealed in late 2015 that its special forces and intelligence officers had been stationed in separatist-held Donbas to trigger Russia-Ukraine conflict but stressed that they were not the same as regular troops. The Ukrainian government categorized 7% of Ukraine’s territory as temporarily occupied regions in February 2019.
Russia troops in Ukraine borders
There was a significant Russian military buildup along Ukraine’s borders in 2021 and early 2022. NATO accused Russia of plotting an invasion, which the Russian government rejected. Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned NATO’s expansion as a danger to his nation and urged Ukraine to be prohibited from getting into the military alliance. He also had irredentist beliefs, arguing that Ukraine was a historical blunder produced by the Soviet Union. Russia formally recognized the two self-proclaimed governments in the Donbas on February 21, 2022, and dispatched soldiers to the areas. Russia started a full-fledged invasion of Ukraine three days later.
The majority of the international world and groups such as Amnesty International have criticized Russia’s activities in post-revolutionary Ukraine, accusing it of breaching international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. As a result, many nations imposed economic penalties on Russia, the Russian people, or Russian enterprises, particularly after the 2022 invasion and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Background of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
After the early 2014 Revolution of Dignity, several social, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic elements led to the emergence of instability in eastern and southern Ukraine in 2014 and the eventual eruption of the Russo-Ukrainian War. After Ukraine’s independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union, emerging historical and cultural differences and a weak political structure impeded the formation of a cohesive Ukrainian national identity. In addition, russification and ethnic Russian settlement in eastern and southern Ukraine throughout centuries of Russian control resulted in the Russian language gaining supremacy, even among ethnic Ukrainians.
Since the evacuation of the indigenous Crimean Tatars by Soviet general secretary Joseph Stalin during World War II, ethnic Russians have made up the majority of the population of Crimea. In contrast, several countries have traditionally dominated western and central Ukraine, including the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austrian Empire. As a result, the Ukrainian ethnic, national, and linguistic identities remained intact in these places.
Tensions between these two opposing historical and cultural traditions burst into a political and social confrontation during the Euromaidan, which began on November 21, 2013, when then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych disagreed on agreeing and signing the association agreement with European Union. Support for deeper links with Europe was high in western and central Ukraine, but many in eastern and southern Ukraine have historically preferred closer ties with Russia. As a result, president Yanukovych, who derived most of his support from the east, was deposed in February 2014. His removal was met with protests across eastern and southern Ukraine, with a significant focus on historical links to Russia, the Russian language, and hatred toward the Euromaidan movement.
Timeline of Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Ukraine has fluctuated between Moscow and the West since its independence from the Soviet Union, weathering controversy and conflict while keeping the democracy situation. Currently, it is facing its most difficult test, as neighbouring country Russia threatens its survival as an independent country to cause the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Since Russia’s unlawful annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, many Ukrainians have shifted away from Moscow city and towards the West, with public support for merging with Western alliances like NATO and the European Union on the increase.
Separatists supported by Moscow gained control of two areas along the country’s eastern border with Russia in 2014. According to International Crisis Group data, violence in eastern Ukraine has killed over 14,000 people in the years since. Russia’s acceptance of the two regions’ independence paved the way for its soldiers to enter Ukraine.
Read on to understand the timeline of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The 1990s: Independence from the Soviet Union
1989-1990
Protests against communism swept Central and Eastern Europe in 1989 and 1990, beginning in Poland and expanding throughout the Soviet bloc. In Ukraine, more than 400,000 people locked hands in a human chain reaching 400 miles from Ivano-Frankivsk to Kyiv, the capital in the country’s north-central region, in January 1990. Many people are waving the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, which was prohibited under Soviet authority.
July 16, 1990
The Rada, the new Ukrainian parliament established from the former Soviet legislature, voted to proclaim independence from the Soviet Union on July 16, 1990. Authorities recall Ukrainian troops from other regions of the Soviet Union and vote to close the Chernobyl nuclear power facility in northern Ukraine.
1991
After a failed attempt of coup in Moscow, the Ukrainian parliament proclaimed independence for the second time on August 24, which is still observed as Ukraine’s official Independence Day. In December, Ukrainians ratified the declaration of independence by a landslide 92% of the vote, making their independence official. On December 26, the Soviet Union formally disintegrated.
1992
Ukraine formally establishes contact with NATO, albeit it does not join, as NATO partners consider adding Central and Eastern European council members for the first time. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg pays a visit to Kyiv, while Ukrainian President Leonid Kravchuk pays to NATO headquarters in Brussels.
December 1994
After the eradication of the Soviet Union, Ukraine now possesses the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal. In the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine agrees to trade away its intercontinental ballistic weapons, warheads, and other nuclear infrastructure in exchange for guarantees that similar other three other treaty signatories — the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia — will “respect Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty, as well as its existing borders.”
1994- 2004
During his ten years as president, Leonid Kuchma has helped Ukraine move from a Soviet republic to a capitalist society by privatizing firms and increasing international economic possibilities. However, in 2000, his administration was shaken by a scandal involving audio recordings that show he ordered the assassination of a journalist. Nevertheless, he will be in power for another four years.
2000: Pendulating between the West and Russia
2004
The presidential election pairs Kuchma’s incumbent party — headed by his hand-picked successor, Viktor Yanukovych, and backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin — against Viktor Yushchenko, a popular pro-democracy opposition leader. In the campaign’s closing months, Yushchenko becomes inexplicably ill deformed, and physicians establish that he has been poisoned.
Yanukovych wins the election despite allegations of vote manipulation. Massive protests erupt, and the public outpouring of rage is dubbed the Orange Revolution. After a third vote, Yushchenko is declared the winner. Yushchenko took office as president in January 2005, with Yulia Tymoshenko as prime minister.
2008
Following their attempts to bring Ukraine into NATO, Yushchenko and Tymoshenko publicly requested in January that Ukraine will get a “membership action plan,” which is the initial stage in the process of taking part in the alliance. US President George W. Bush favours Ukraine’s participation, while France and Germany reject it when Russia expresses its unhappiness. NATO reacts in April with a compromise: Ukraine will someday be a part of the alliance but does not specify how.
January 2009
Following months of highly charged talks over gas pricing, Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned gas firm, abruptly ceased flowing natural gas to the conuntry of Ukraine on January 1. The gas crisis then rapidly extended beyond Ukraine’s borders because Eastern and Central European nations rely on pipelines that pass through Ukraine to obtain Russian gas supplies. Under international pressure to end the situation, Tymoshenko strikes a new arrangement with Putin, and gas supplies resume on January 20. Today, much of Europe still relies on Russian gas.
2010
Yanukovych was sworn in as President in February. Ukraine, he believes, should be a “neutral state,” engaging with both Russia and Western allies such as NATO.
2011
Prosecutors in Ukraine launched criminal investigations into Tymoshenko in 2011, claiming corruption and misappropriation of government funds. In October, a court found her guilty of “abuse of authority” during Russia’s 2009 gas crisis discussions. It sentenced her to seven years in jail, raising worries that Ukrainian officials are pursuing political opponents in the West.
2014: The Maidan revolution and Crimea’s annexation
November 2013-February 2014
Yanukovych claims only days before the signing that he will not agree sign any association agreement with the European Union that would initiate to bring Ukraine into a position of free trade deal. He cites Russian coercion as the cause for his decision.
The statement has sparked massive rallies across Ukraine, the largest since the Orange Revolution, asking for Yanukovych’s resignation. Protesters set up camp in Kyiv’s Maidan, also known as Independence Square. They took over government facilities, including the city hall and the justice ministry. In late February, more than 100 people were killed in a violent week. It was in clashes between police and several demonstrators in Ukraine’s post-Soviet history.
Yanukovych Escape
Yanukovych rapidly escapes, lands in Russia, ahead of a regulated impeachment vote on February 22. Instead, Ukraine’s parliament unanimously votes to depose Yanukovych. They create an interim administration, declaring its intention to sign the EU accord. Also, they votes to release Tymoshenko from prison. The new administration accuses Yanukovych of mass-murdering Maidan demonstrators and issues an arrest warrant.
As per Russia, the Ukraine government transition is a severe unlawful coup. Armed personnel emerge at every checkpoint and infrastructure along and across the Crimean Peninsula. Putin at first denies terming them as Russian military but then eventually concedes they are.
March 2014
The Crimean parliament takes decision to secede from Ukraine and join in with Russia, with Russian soldiers controlling the peninsula. A public referendum is held, with 97% of people approving independence, albeit the results are challenged.
A March 18 address by Putin to Russia’s parliament finalised the Russia’s annexation of Crimea. This resulted in United States and its European allies imposing sanctions on Russia. However, no country ever acknowledged Russia’s takeover of the Crimea peninsula. It marks as the initial occasion since World War II that a European nation has used armed force to capture the territory.
April 2014
With 40,000 Russian forces assembling on the eastern border of Ukraine, fighting erupts in the eastern Ukrainian province of Donbas, which continues to this day. Separatist rebels backed by Russia attack government buildings in two eastern provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk. They declared independence from Ukraine as the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, while still being an integral part of Ukraine. Russia denied that any of its forces are on Ukrainian territory, although Ukrainian officials stand by the statement.
May 2014
Petro Poroshenko, a pro-Western politician and former government minister who now heads the National Bank of Ukraine’s Council, is elected. He advocates for change, including steps to combat corruption and reduce Ukraine’s reliance on Russia for energy and financial assistance.
September 5, 2014
Representatives from Russia, Ukraine, France, and Germany met in Belarus to try to reach an agreement to stop the conflict in the Donbas. They sign the first Minsk accord, a pact between Ukraine and Russia to halt the fighting through a tenuous cease-fire. But unfortunately, the cease-fire is quickly broken, and the combat continues into the new year.
2015 through 2020: Russia looms the Russia-Ukraine conflict
February 2015
The Minsk Group meets again in Belarus to reach a more successful deal to cease the war in eastern Ukraine. It resulted in the Minsk II agreement. But, unfortunately, it, too, has failed to put an end to the bloodshed. From 2014 until now, more than 14,000 people were murdered, several injured, and many displaced.
The annexation of Crimea and Russian-backed aggression in the east has shifted Ukrainian public opinion toward the West. It increased enthusiasm in joining NATO and EU.
2016 and 2017
With the continuity of the battle, Russia launches cyberattacks against Ukraine. It includes a 2016 attack on power infrastructure in Kyviv. It led to a significant blackout. In addition, a large-scale attack on major Ukrainian infrastructure. It included the National Bank of Ukraine and the country’s electrical system, that occurred in 2017. (Russian cyberattacks have persisted to the day; the most recent significant strike targeted government websites in January 2022.)
2019
In April, comedian and actor Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected president in a landslide victory over Poroshenko and the status quo, including a stagnant economy and a confrontation with Russia.
During his campaign, Zelenskyy committed to establishing peace with Russia and bringing the Donbas war. His early efforts to end the bloodshed are hampered by US President Donald Trump, who temporarily suspends US military help to Ukraine and advises Zelenskyy that he instead engages with Putin to resolve the problem.
In a phone discussion with Trump in July 2019, Zelenskyy wants a visit to the White House to discuss the United States’ support for Ukraine’s attempts to strike back against Russia. Instead, Trump requests “a favour” from Zelenskyy: a probe into the energy business Burisma and the Bidens. A whistleblower in the White House complains, resulting in Trump’s initial impeachment in December 2019. Several US officials testify later that Zelenskyy was on the verge of launching such a probe, but he eventually backs off, stating Ukrainians are “weary” of Burisma.
2021: The crisis escalates
April
Russia dispatches around 100,000 troops to Ukraine’s borders, reportedly for military drills. Although few experts believe an invasion is imminent, Zelenskyy wants NATO leaders to place Ukraine on a membership schedule. Russia promises to remove its soldiers later that month, but tens of thousands stay.
August
Zelinsky returns to the White House two years after his run-in with Trump to connect with President Biden in person. Biden underlines the US commitment to “Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression” but reiterates that Ukraine has not yet completed the requirements for NATO membership.
November
Russia renewed its army deployment along Ukraine’s border. It alarmed US intelligence officials who flew to Brussels to advise NATO partners on the situation. “We don’t know what Mr Putin is up to, but these moves have our attention,” said US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
December
Speaking on the phone with Putin, Biden encourages Russia not to attack Ukraine. He threatened “serious repercussions” if it does.
Putin makes a divisive set of security requests. For example, he requests that NATO prohibit Ukraine from membership indefinitely and withdraw military stations stationed in countries. Countries that gave in to the alliance after 1997, like Romania and the Balkan nations. Putin also requests a formal answer from the United States and NATO.
2022: Russia Advances in Russia-Ukraine conflict
January
Leaders and diplomats from across the United States, Russia, and Europe meet regularly to avoid a crisis. In early January, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov informed US diplomats that Russia has no intentions to attack Ukraine.
On January 23, the State Department urged the families of diplomatic personnel to leave Ukraine. The following day, NATO placed forces on standby. It includes the United States, which ordered 8,500 US troops to be ready for deployment.
On January 26, representatives from the United States and NATO provided written replies to Putin’s demands. Officials claim they cannot prevent Ukraine from joining NATO. However, they indicate a readiness to compromise on minor concerns like arms control.
February
Diplomatic attempts are picking up steam across Europe. Emmanuel Macron of France and Olaf Scholz of Germany travel between Moscow and Kyiv. Biden directs the transfer of 1,000 US troops from Germany to Romania and the deployment of an additional 2,000 US troops to Poland and Germany.
On February 10, Russia and Belarus will begin joint military drills, with 30,000 Russian troops stationed in the nation bordering Ukraine’s northern border.
US and UK urged its people to leave Ukraine before February 11. In addition, Biden announces the deployment of an additional 2,000 US soldiers to Poland.
Fighting between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian soldiers in the two eastern districts of Donetsk and Luhansk increases in mid-February. Separatist commanders have ordered evacuations. “What is occurring in Donbas today is, in our opinion, genocide,” Putin says on February 15 – a bogus assertion that Western diplomats allege Putin is trying to justify an invasion.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Russia maintains its army presence along its border with Ukraine. The troop count is estimated to be between 150,000 and 190,000 people. Officials in the United States, including Vice President Joe Biden, have increased the seriousness of their warnings, claiming that Russia has chosen to invade.
Putin publicly acknowledged the independence of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic on February 21, encompassing territory claimed by rebels but held by Ukrainian army troops. Nevertheless, he directs Russian forces to deploy there under a “peacekeeping” operation.
In reaction, Biden calls the move “the start of a Russian invasion.” The US, UK and EU implement a comprehensive package of sanctions against Russian banks and oligarchs.
On February 24, Russian forces began a deadly attack on Ukrainian territory as a part of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the greatest military operation across Europe since World War II. Missiles are raining down on Ukraine’s towns, while Russian troops from neighbouring Belarus and Russian-held Crimea are allegedly pouring into the countryside. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian military attempts to halt Russia’s advance on many fronts.
World Reaction to the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Several countries have promptly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in eastern Ukraine. Putin’s authorization came as the United Nations Security Council convened late Wednesday for the emergency meeting this week to get into a de-escalation situation and a resumption to diplomatic dialogue.
Here is how the world is reacting:
Ukraine
Dmytro Kuleba, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, said Putin had “started a full-scale assault of Ukraine” and that peaceful city was “under strike.”
“This is an aggressive war.” Ukraine will defend itself and come out on top. Putin can and must be stopped. “Now is the moment to act,” he tweeted.
Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, at an emergency UNSC meeting said it was too late to discuss de-escalation. “I implore each of you to do all in your power to bring the conflict to an end,” he added.
United States
President Joe Biden has blasted Russia for an “unprovoked and unjustifiable attack” on Ukraine, saying that the US and its subsequent allies will “term Russia responsible.”
“President Putin has chosen a deliberate conflict that will result in horrific human death and misery.” Russia is the sole cause of death and devastation caused by this assault and Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Unified States, its friends, and partners will respond in a united and forceful manner. “The rest of the world will hold Russia accountable,” he warned.
G7
The Group of Seven industrialized nations strongly criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and announced that they would impose tough and coordinated economic and financial sanctions on Moscow.
“This crisis poses a severe danger to the rules-based international order, with implications speading well beyond Europe,” a jount statement by G7 leaders. It added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has reintroduced war to Europe.
“He is standing on the wrong side of history,” the leaders stated in a statement issued by Germany.
The leaders also supported consistent and constructive interaction and cooperation among superior energy producers and consumers to ensure a stable global energy supply. They were prepared to act in the event of a disruption.
United Nations
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, denounced Russia’s actions, ordering Putin to “bring your soldiers back to Russia.”
“In the name of humanity, do not allow a war in Europe to begin. It might be the deadliest conflict since the turn of the century. The implications will not just be disastrous for Ukraine, sad for the Russian Federation, but with an impact that cannot even be predicted.”
Guterres urged Putin to “give peace a chance” to the United Nations Security Council.
World Health Organization
The UN health agency immediately issued a serious warning about a potential health emergency in Ukraine and condemned the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“Amid the quickly expanding war in Ukraine,” the WHO Regional Office for Europe stated in a statement, “the WHO Regional Office for Europe reiterates its greatest concern for the safety, health, and well-being of all people touched by the situation in the nation and perhaps beyond.”
United Kingdom
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed shock at the horrible events in Ukraine. He said he has talked with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the next steps.
“By starting an unprovoked war on Ukraine and arising Russia-Ukraine conflict, President Putin has chosen a path of slaughter and ruin,” Johnson said.
In a televised speech to the country, he stated that Western countries would implement enormous sanctions to cripple Russia’s economy. “Today, in collaboration with our friends, we will agree on a hefty package of economic penalties meant to cripple the Russian economy in time,” he stated.
European Union
The EU will hold Moscow accountable for the “unjustified” aggression on Ukraine. This is according to Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU’s Executive Commission.
“In these terrible times, our thoughts are complete with Ukraine and the people who are facing an unjustified and severe attack and fear for all their lives,” she tweeted.
At an extraordinary meeting later, the EU is scheduled to debate more measures against Russia.
In a press conference, Von der Leyen alongside European Council President Charles Michel stated that EU sanctions will “significantly impair” Russia’s economy.
NATO
The secretary-general of the Atlantic Alliance stated that Russia had “taken the road of aggression against a sovereign and independent country.”
Jens Stoltenberg stated in a statement that the strike “endangers countless civilian lives”. It is a “grave breach of international law and a major threat to Euro-Atlantic security.”
After chairing an emergency conference of NATO ambassadors, Stoltenberg stated that the Western military alliance would deploy assets and forces on its territory. It is in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, claiming that over 100 jets had been placed on high alert.
On Friday, NATO leaders will also convene a virtual summit.
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) declared that Russia had violated the current Olympic Truce. The truce attempts to use sport to promote peace and communication.
On December 2 2021, all 193 UN Member States unanimously supported a UN resolution asking for cooperation with the IOC and the International Paralympic Committee. It is “to utilize sport as a weapon to promote peace, discussion, and reconciliation.”
Belarus
According to the Belta news agency, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated that the Belarusian armed forces are not participating in Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine.
“The forces of our country are not taking part in this operation,” said Lukashenko.
Turkey
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, has described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “crushing blow” to regional peace.
“We denounce Russia’s military activity,” Erdogan said on television, calling it a “severe blow to regional peace and security.”
Czech Republic
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipovsky called Russia’s strike on Ukraine a “barbaric act of aggression”. He said his country would respond with its friends. “The Kremlin’s decision to conduct a wholly unprovoked attack is abhorrent. It is in violation of international law,” he wrote on Twitter.
China
China has rejected the term “invasion” to describe Russia’s actions in Ukraine and has encouraged all parties to maintain moderation.
“You are adopting a standard Western media inquiry style of utilizing the term invasion,” said Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry.
“China is closely observing the recent developments. However, we urge all parties to exhibit caution to avoid the situation from spiralling out of hand.”
Following the bombs in many Ukrainian cities, the Chinese embassy in Ukraine advised its residents to remain at home as a precaution.
Poland
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki responded quickly to Russia’s assault against Ukraine, demanding the “most severe” sanctions conceivable.
“We must reply swiftly to Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine,” Morawiecki tweeted.
Europe and the free world must put a stop to Putin. The European Council meeting today should accept the most severe penalties available. Our assistance to Ukraine must be genuine.”
As per the country’s health ministry, a medical train is ready to evacuate the injured. Also, Polish hospitals are ready to handle thousands of patients.
Hungary
According to Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, “war is the worst-case scenario.”
“The priority today, as always, is to ensure the safety of the Hungarian people,” Sjijjarto said on his official Facebook page.
“Our embassy in Kyiv is open and ready to assist Hungarians who are currently in Ukraine.”
Bulgaria
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said his nation planned to remove over 4,000 ethnic Bulgarians immediately from Ukraine by land. It is also ready to move in more Ukrainian refugees.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stated that the Balkan country would prepare hotels and other tourism infrastructure to accommodate them.
Australia
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced sanctions on Russia would become law. However, they would not go into force until the end of March.
He stated that they require more time to provide “opportunity for enterprises which have had legal activities and economic interests in Russia and in the impacted parts of Ukraine to make modifications to their arrangements.”
“The reason we’re doing this is that there must be a cost for Russia’s aggressive, unlawful, unjustifiable, unjustified attacks, threats, and intimidation of Ukraine.” “Vladimir Putin and the Russian leadership cannot act without consequences,” Morrison warned.
Germany
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany called Russia’s war on Ukraine a “blatant violation of international law”. It is unjustifiable.
He said that Western sanctions would ensure that Russia paid a “painful price” for its invasion. He added that Putin had made a “major mistake.”
France
President Emmanuel Macron has stated that France would stand behind Ukraine and has warned that Russia’s invasion of its neighbour will have long-term and “severe” ramifications for Europe.
“We will answer to this act of war with calm, resolve, and togetherness,” Macron said to the French people.
Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has denounced Russia’s military incursion in Ukraine. He stated that he is contacting NATO members to organize a response.
Italy
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany called the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Russia’s war on Ukraine a “blatant violation of international law” that “cannot be justified by anything.”
He said that Western sanctions would ensure that Russia paid a “painful price” for its invasion of Ukraine and that Putin had made a “major mistake.”
Finland
Finland’s President, Sauli Niinistö, harshly criticized Russia’s military actions. He called them an assault not just on Ukraine but “on the whole European security system.”
“We have profound compassion for Ukraine and are looking for ways to strengthen our assistance for Ukraine,” he added.
Sweden
Sweden’s Prime Minister, Magdalena Andersson, stated that the defence ministry would investigate their methods. Methods to bolster Ukraine’s ability to repel a Russian invasion.
“I have… today assigned Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist the job of promptly formulating a decision. It is so that we, from the Swedish side, may provide Ukraine with more methods to… increase their resilience,” Andersson said at a press conference about the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Canada
In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau termed Russia’s actions “unprovoked” and a “clear additional violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
On Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trudeau stated that he will meet with Group of Seven partners to develop a collective response, “potentially by implementing sanctions in addition to those announced earlier this week.”
“These rash and risky actions will not go unpunished.”
Iran
Iran has asked its people in Ukraine to leave the country, according to Iran’s semi-official ISNA news agency.
Given that Ukrainian airspace is now restricted, Iran’s embassy in Ukraine is currently working on getting flying permits for the evacuation flights, according to ISNA.
Moldova
Moldova President Maia Sandu said the country would declare a state of emergency. It would absorb a massive count of refugees from neighbouring Ukraine.
“We will assist and support those that require it,” she stated.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister, Eduard Heger, has condemned the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It also condemned Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine “in the harshest possible terms.”
“At a time when the democratic world desires peace, Russia desires conflict. We are prepared and will act as one,” he declared.
Qatar
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, issued a statement urging all parties to exhibit moderation and address all disputes via “constructive discourse and diplomatic channels.”
“Sheikh Tamim also asked for civilian safety and the prioritization of the humanitarian crisis,” according to the statement.
India
The Indian embassy in Ukraine plans to evacuate Indians.
Lithuania
President Gitanas Nausea of Lithuania stated that the Lithuanian parliament would determine whether to impose a state of emergency.
Japan
Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, criticized Russia’s military activities. He stated that Japan, together with the United States and other allies, would respond swiftly.
”This Russian invasion threatens the fundamental concept of international order. It prohibits unilateral use of force to alter the status quo. Therefore, we strongly condemn Russia, and we will respond swiftly. We will collaborate with the United States and other Western nations,” Kishida continued.
South Korea
At a National Security Council meeting, President Moon Jae-in stated that Ukraine’s sovereignty, territory, and independence needs protection at all costs.
South Korea will join specific international economic penalties against Russia. It is in response to its military activities in Ukraine but will not take unilateral action.
Conclusion
While the entire world is condemning and trying to de-escalate the tension and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia is planning and advancing nuclear weapons and attacking Ukraine.
