Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine is bringing both civilian suffering and profound geopolitical repercussionsVladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the largest ground offensive in Europe since the second world war, has unleashed not one but two struggles. The first is the military conflict for the freedom of Ukraine. The second is the broader geopolitical contest. Neither is going as the Russian president hoped when he launched his shameful and unprovoked attack. But both are in their earliest days.The slow initial Russian advance and extraordinary scenes as artists pick up guns, bankers prepare molotov cocktails and unarmed people confront tanks are testament to Ukrainians’ passionate determination. But they are outgunned and outnumbered by a callous adversary that has already claimed the lives of children and other civilians and is pouring in more troops. The risks of a bloody, brutal war spreading beyond the borders are real. On Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelinskiy agreed to a delegation meeting Russia for talks without preconditions, Mr Putin put his country’s nuclear deterrent forces on high alert – underscoring his lack of interest in de-escalation, concerns about his state of mind and the fact that his failure could bring more suffering too. Russia’s nuclear status precluded western countries committing troops to back non-Nato member Ukraine. But that did not stop Mr Putin raising it as a threat anyway. Continue reading…
Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine is bringing both civilian suffering and profound geopolitical repercussions
Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the largest ground offensive in Europe since the second world war, has unleashed not one but two struggles. The first is the military conflict for the freedom of Ukraine. The second is the broader geopolitical contest. Neither is going as the Russian president hoped when he launched his shameful and unprovoked attack. But both are in their earliest days.
The slow initial Russian advance and extraordinary scenes as artists pick up guns, bankers prepare molotov cocktails and unarmed people confront tanks are testament to Ukrainians’ passionate determination. But they are outgunned and outnumbered by a callous adversary that has already claimed the lives of children and other civilians and is pouring in more troops. The risks of a bloody, brutal war spreading beyond the borders are real. On Sunday, as President Volodymyr Zelinskiy agreed to a delegation meeting Russia for talks without preconditions, Mr Putin put his country’s nuclear deterrent forces on high alert – underscoring his lack of interest in de-escalation, concerns about his state of mind and the fact that his failure could bring more suffering too. Russia’s nuclear status precluded western countries committing troops to back non-Nato member Ukraine. But that did not stop Mr Putin raising it as a threat anyway.