Spreading Awareness of the Conflict
This collection of articles and podcasts has been selected by War In Ukraine on the Rocks to aid in your knowledge of the backdrop, historical context, and current events surrounding Russia's huge invasion of Ukraine. This will be helpful for you, whether you are a military person or a student, a policymaker or a pundit, a teacher or a techie.
Importantly, their contributions aid in situating the Russia-Ukraine War within the larger framework of Western and Russian ties and conflicts. These materials, which date back to 2014, are arranged according to areas of interest, including military strategy and balance, Russian politics, history, resistance, nuclear weapons, and arms control. Regular updates will be made to this list.
Aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine War
Peace, as something more than just the absence of conflict, is a process. It must be won through the shrewd handling of the aftermath of conflict. However, success depends on being aware of what to anticipate in the aftermath. Estimates of deaths lost economic potential, and harm to a nation's vital infrastructure is frequently used to describe the cost of war.
According to these criteria, the Kyiv School of Economics presently pegs the value of these losses in Ukraine at $80.4 billion, with an additional $8 to $12 billion added per week.
If the Russian military's focus on Ukraine's east and south results in an entrenched and protracted Invasion of Ukraine, this sum will soon surpass the $135 billion current value of the U.S.-led Marshall Plan that assisted in rebuilding Europe after World War II and the $145 billion in reconstruction funds spent in Afghanistan.
North Atlantic Council statement commemorating one year of Russia's aggression against Ukraine
We, as Allies, reaffirm our support for the Ukrainian government and people in their valiant defence of their nation, their land, and our shared values as we solemnly recognise one year of Russia's barbaric campaign of aggression against Ukraine, the greatest danger to Euro-Atlantic security in decades.
We honour the lives lost and mourn the awful suffering and devastation brought on by Russia's illegal war, especially the destruction of Ukraine's residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and energy supply.
As Ukraine fights against Russia's War Against Ukraine, we are increasing our political and practical assistance. We will continue to do so as long as it takes for Ukraine to succeed. NATO will continue to work closely with appropriate parties, such as international bodies, particularly the EU, and like-minded nations, in this context.
We are unwavering in our commitment to aiding Ukraine's ongoing efforts to ensure a free and democratic future. We reiterate our steadfast support for the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Ukraine within its internationally recognised boundaries. We wholeheartedly support Ukraine's inalienable right to self-defence and the freedom to select its own security measures.
This conflict, which is a flagrant infraction of both international law and the UN Charter, is entirely Russia's fault. Russia's actions significantly jeopardise both the rules-based international order and world peace and stability by disobeying OSCE norms and pledges. We have urged Russia to participate in productive, trustworthy discussions with Ukraine, but Russia has not demonstrated any sincere interest in achieving a just and sustainable peace.
We are still committed to applying consistent, global pressure on Russia. We also denounce everyone who is actively supporting Russia's conflict, including Belarus. Russian war crimes and other atrocities cannot go unpunished. All those liable for abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, notably those directed against Ukraine's civilian population and involving the expulsion of minors and sexual assault resulting from armed conflict, must be held accountable.
In accordance with the UN General Assembly Resolution passed on February 23, 2023, and other pertinent UN General Assembly Resolutions, Russia must immediately halt this conflict and remove all of its armed forces from Ukraine.
The war in Russia also jeopardises international stability. Russia's contempt for international rules and the well-being of billions of people throughout the world is evident in its energy extortion, influence on the world's food supplies, malicious hybrid actions, global misinformation campaign, and irresponsible nuclear bluster.
In the whole Euro-Atlantic region, peace, security, and stability will continue to be our top priorities. NATO is an alliance that defends. As part of our 360-degree strategy, we are dramatically bolstering our deterrence and defensive posture, and we remain prepared to protect every square inch of Allied land. We have a steadfast commitment to the Washington Treaty, particularly Article 5. NATO is now more unified and powerful than ever.
We have commended Finland and Sweden for choosing to join NATO and reiterated our dedication to the alliance's Open Door policy. As Ukraine advances its Euro-Atlantic objectives, we will continue to solidify our alliance with that country. We are also enhancing our existing alliances, helping those nations that are most vulnerable to Russia's negative influence.
Russia's attempts to weaken the will of the courageous Ukrainian people are failing. Ukrainians are still heroically battling for their freedom and independence one year later.
4 Big Queries That Came Out After the Invasion of Ukraine
One of the most important political events of our time—and one of the most perplexing—has been Russia's War Against Ukraine.
It was at first difficult to comprehend Russia's invasion choice since it appeared to go counter to what the majority of specialists believed to be Russia's strategic objectives. The widely anticipated Russian triumph has not materialised as the war has gone on because Ukrainian soldiers have successfully repelled many attacks with substantially greater force.
Global powers have reacted in a startling and maybe historically unprecedented manner all throughout the world, from Washington to Berlin to Beijing.
The following is an effort to make sense of everything by addressing the most pressing concerns about the conflict that everyone has. It is a thorough explanation of what is occurring in Ukraine and why it is important.
What made Russia encroach on Ukraine?
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine. He stated that the invasion was intended to halt a "genocide" being committed by "the Kyiv regime" and, in the long run, to "achieve the demilitarisation and de-Nazification of Ukraine."
The rhetoric exposed Putin's maximalist war objectives: regime change ("de-Nazification") and the eradication of Ukraine's status as a sovereign state independent of Russian rule ("demilitarisation"). The allegations of genocide and Nazi tyranny in Kyiv were obviously bogus. The more complicated explanation for why he would wish to do this comes from the extremely old history of Russian-Ukrainian ties.
Who is winning this conflict?
The military might of Russia is far superior to that of Ukraine. Russia spends more than ten times as much on defence as Ukraine does, and the Russian military possesses nearly ten times as many fixed-wing aircraft and slightly less than three times as much artillery. As a result, it was widely believed before the invasion that Russia would triumph in a conventional conflict. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned Congressmen in early February that Kyiv, the capital, may fall within 72 hours of a Russian assault.
But that’s not how things have played out. A month into the invasion, Ukrainians still hold Kyiv. Russia has made some gains, especially in the east and south, but the consensus view among military experts is that Ukraine’s defences have held stoutly—to the point where Ukrainians have been able to launch counteroffensives.
What effects did the conflict have on the world in 2022?
Millions of people have been compelled to leave Ukraine since the war began, and tens of thousands of deaths have been recorded. A sizable portion of Ukraine has suffered partial or complete destruction. The victims were the people of Ukraine. Relations between Russia and Ukraine suffered.
Russia and the West engaged in a "war" over the Invasion of Ukraine. While giving Ukraine financial and armed support, the EU and the US have sanctioned Russia and severed their ties with Moscow.
Russia's foreign policy, economy, and energy have all turned to Asia as a result of the war with the West. The US has become increasingly dependent on the US in terms of energy, politics, and the military.
What will the Russia-Ukraine war bring to the world?
Because of the conflicting demands made by all sides to sit down and negotiate, there is no simple path to peace in Ukraine. While Ukraine demands that Russia completely withdraw from the region, Russia wants Crimea and other annexations to be recognised as part of its territory.
As opposed to Kyiv's position that Russia should provide war reparations, Moscow wants Ukraine to disarm and proclaim its neutrality. On the other hand, despite the fact that the front-line battles have subsided for a variety of reasons, both Russia and Ukraine continue to make preparations for war for the next spring.
Conclusion
Any illusions about the order in post-Cold War Europe were destroyed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine leaving Ukraine and the West unable to respond while Russia revelled in its predicament and began to accept its isolation. What sparked the fight? The synopsis emphasises how several elements interacted. Even if the euphoria that preceded the demise of communism concealed it, the participants' intentions were incompatible from the beginning. Understanding what happened in a new light and rethinking what the future could hold requires that we see the situation as a typical security issue with competing agendas.
Although there were numerous decisions that might have been taken differently, there were considerably more restrictions on the actors, both locally and internationally, than the literature that emphasises blame would have us think. The inference is that there is little chance of resolving the crisis by either trying to turn Ukraine into a neutral state or by waiting for Vladimir Putin to leave office.
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