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You are here: Home / History / Russia versus Ukraine; a conflict of 2022

Russia versus Ukraine; a conflict of 2022

Mariam Ghaffar

The conditions for international politics are constantly changing, and this ongoing conflict is an example of how unpredictable and fragile inter-state relations can be. On 24 Feb, Russia started a full-scale invasion of Ukraine from three sides, and the bombing has not stopped still. Invading forces are inching toward the capital Kyiv. The majority of Ukrainian territory remains in Ukrainian hands while fighting in some regions continues to be intense (Regan). The most recent bombing Ukraine has witnessed was on the theater, which was being used by hundreds as a shelter from the bombing. The calamities of theater bombing remain unknown.

This is an image taken by AP News of an elderly man among ruins.
Image was taken by AP News/Vadim Ghirda

This ongoing conflict is of great importance in international relations as it will bring about some fundamental power shifts in the region and subsequently start a war among the major powers. In this article, I will be discussing the possible impacts this war can have on international politics and how this can drive future relations among countries.

What does Putin want?

Putin has been at the receiving end of criticism for a while now, and rightfully so! President Putin declared Ukraine a constant threat before the invasion and claimed to initiate the war to stop the militarization of Ukraine. However, his justifications for invasion are falling short on logical grounds and moral standards. As history has seen, the main target and demand still lie within the legalization of Crimea as a part of Russia.

This is an image created by the BBC of a map of Ukraine.
Image made by the BBC

Crimea is considered by most of the world to be a part of Ukraine, which is currently under hostile Russian occupation. And this is not the first time Russia has started a war over Crimea. In 2014, Russia took over Crimea by force; interestingly, Russia gave up Crimea over 60 years ago. To date, Moscow claims a right over Crimea.

How will this end?

Russia and US are two major powers in the world, and their rivalry has already caused enough discomfort in the world, but in the light of this conflict, one can safely predict a large-scale war, A world war three to be precise. The sanctions imposed by the US on Russia and Russia’s alliance with China can bring more harm than good it is supposed to be. If Russia and China form an ally to bring down the US, they will be impacting hundreds of economies dependent on USD, and if the US brings down Russia, it will be directly at war with its allies. So far, one does not see a result of this conflict without some significant power shifts. If Putin wins the war, Russia becomes more powerful than the US, and with China at its side, Russia has a stronger case.

War is never a solution!

The history of the world is filled with atrocities committed by human beings in the name of God and national and personal interests. We can find endless examples where wars have resulted in nothing but ruins. Starting from the first-ever conflict between two human beings, Habeel and Qabeel, it is observed that the usage of force to resolve disputes merely results in loss and devastation. Notably, modern warfare has a devastating aspect. These wars tend to become globalized impacting several countries negatively. With the advancements in technology and science, modern warfare has become more destructive. In such cases, the survival of the fittest also becomes a question that was previously a great possibility. Ranging from Atomic bombs to Hydrogen bombs, advancements in weaponry make it possible to fight in a multi-threat collaborative environment to achieve desired effects. The world leaders should sit down and think if it is worth fighting a war that will negatively impact the present and damage our future generations.

Feature image by Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash.

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