Did Russia declare war on Ukraine? – Who would have thought it? Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared war on Ukraine, claiming that he is conducting a “special military operation” to demilitarize and denazify the country. He also threatened countries with the consequences of a military conflict, some of which were unprecedented. There were reports of explosions in the capital city of Kyiv, the cities of Kharkiv and Odess, and the port of Mariupol.
On Friday, the Russian military invaded Ukraine with heavy weapons, including artillery and missiles, and entered from multiple directions. The Russian President said that he was acting to protect civilians in the self-proclaimed republics of eastern Ukraine, but there was no evidence to support this claim. Western leaders reacted with fury, accusing Putin of launching a premeditated war. The Ukrainian government declared martial law and asked its citizens to seek shelter from the advancing troops.
On state TV, Putin said that the Russian military was not shelling population centers or shelling civilian areas. The attack was described as a defense of ethnic Russians in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The Ukrainian government rejects the claims of Russian aggression against residents of Donbas. The conflict has been raging between government forces and separatists in the Donbas region for almost eight years. Although most of the world disapproved of the action, China stood by its support of the Ukrainian military.
Earlier this week, Putin recognized pro-Russian “republics” in Luhansk and Donetsk, two Ukrainian oblasts, and claimed the rest of the region. The Russian president’s vehemence shocked even critical-minded Russians. The war in Ukraine was a direct response to the US’s failure to respond to Russian demands. The Western world and Russia were stunned and criticized Putin’s actions.
On Sunday, Vladimir Putin formally recognized two pro-Russian “republics” in Donetsk and Luhansk, and announced that the other oblasts in the region are under Russia. The move triggered the first round of Western sanctions, and a state of emergency was declared in the region. In the United States, however, Russians argued that the attack is legitimate and that their country was attempting to denazify the Ukraine.
But before he can declare war on Ukraine, he must first reaffirm its position that no all-out war against the country is necessary. That means Russia should be protected as long as it’s not shelling its own population centers. The Russian military forces in Donbas have not been attacking civilians. The situation is a “disaster” in the Ukraine, and it is not an ally of the west.
There are signs of war in Ukraine. On February 24th, Russian paratroopers attempted to land at Gostomel airport, outside Kyiv. The armed forces of the Ukraine and Russia have no effective response to such attacks. And while a confrontation could result, the situation is still in its early stages. There is no definitive sign of war, and no clear side has yet declared war. Neither side has any intentions to fight the other, but the military of both sides has no way to stop the conflict.
The initial wave of missiles hit Ukraine’s airports and other targets and Russian forces rushed in from Belarus. They were part of a larger force of more than 150,000 soldiers and 110 battalion tactical groups, Russia’s basic fighting formation. Meanwhile, in the Baltic states, more Ukrainian military personnel began pouring into the Russian army. Did Russia declare war on Ukraine?? If it did, who did it?
While U.S. and European officials believe that Russia will attempt to invade Ukraine from the east, analysts think that the Russians will be trying to seize the capital Kyiv. Nevertheless, the U.S. and its NATO have not said they intend to send troops to Kyiv. But the intention of the U.S. and its allies is to provide Ukrainian troops with arms and to support them in their defense.