A brief little primer of information I've compiled from sources over the internet in a bid to understand the real situation in Ukraine without media bias.
- Ukraine is a large country that sits between Europe and Russia. It regained independence in 1991 when the Soviet Union came to an end.
- The West of Ukraine is Pro-EU and currently wishes to join NATO, whereas the East of Ukraine is Pro-Russia.
- In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea from the Ukraine. Russia claim the liberation of Crimea was at the preference of the citizens of the territory.
- Since Crimea was annexed, there has been domestic conflict between West Ukraine and the Eastern Ukraine territories of Donetsk and Luhansk resulting in over 14,000 deaths.
- Donetsk and Luhansk are partially occupied by ethnic Russians who do not wish to be part of Ukraine. The exact percentage of ethnic Russian's in the regions remains contested but is believed to be a majority.
- The Minsk Protocol was arranged between Europe, Ukraine and Russia, and proposed a ceasefire and the decentralisation of power in Ukraine. The Minsk Protocol would recognise the Local Self-Governance for Donetsk and Luhansk.
- The Minsk Protocol failed due to ceasefire breaches from both West Ukraine/East Ukraine.
- Recently Donetsk and Luhansk have claimed that the Ukrainian Army have commenced massive shelling against the two regions frontline villages. In response they have already begun evacuating their citizens to Russia to escape the Ukraine military aggression.
- The West Ukraine armed forces include a Neo-Nazi battalion called Azov who champion nationalism and are openly fascist, and have been the primary participants in conflicts with the Pro-Russia occupants in East Ukraine. Allegations of rape and torture of Ethnic Russians by Azov members has been previously confirmed by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Similar Fascist violence was previously displayed in Odessa where Right Sector murdered pro-Russian protesters including women and children.
- Russia subsequently began to position military forces on the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk to deter further attacks against the ethnic Russian civilians within the two Pro-Russian territories.
- Similar to what happened in Crimea, Putin has now recognised Donetsk and Luhansk's independence as People's Republics meaning they are not considered Ukraine territory by Russia.
- Meanwhile the EU disagree and refuse to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk as People's Republics, meaning the EU still consider the regions as part of Ukraine.
- Since Russia no longer consider Donetsk and Luhansk as Ukraine territory, Russia have moved military ordinance into the regions under the claim they are protecting the ethnic Russian inhabitants living there.
- The EU are now reporting this as Russia becoming hostile and 'invading' Ukraine. Russia counter that they have been welcomed into the People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk by the Pro-Russian leadership there.
- Meanwhile there are allegations that the USA are using these unfolding events to sabotage the Nord Stream 2 project which threaten's America's position by bolstering relations between EU and Asia. Nord Stream 2 is a pipeline between Russia and Germany that would supply natural gas to the EU.
- It is worth remembering that Yugoslavia broke up into 6 countries in 1991-92. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. When Kosovo sought further independence from Serbia in 2008, the United Nations approved it despite Serbia disagreeing with the decision. Russia objected too stating that the UN does not have the right to carve up sovereign states, and that granting Kosovo independence may encourage other territories to seek independence.
- It appears the carving up of sovereign states against their own wishes is only allowed when the United Nations do it, but not when Russia do.
- Russia asked for reassurance that NATO would not keep expanding and placing missiles on their doorstep (reversal of the Cuban Missile Crisis); NATO refused to offer any reassurance or guarantee, and keep expanding eastwards toward Russia.
TLDR:
Two regions of East Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk) have self-proclaimed themselves as People's Republics, and no longer part of Ukraine.
Two regions of East Ukraine (Donetsk and Luhansk) have self-proclaimed themselves as People's Republics, and no longer part of Ukraine.
- Russia have accepted the self-proclaimed independence and have subsequently moved their military into the territories to protect the ethnic Russian's who live there.
- EU/US do not accept the self-proclaimed independence and are viewing these events as Russia invading East Ukraine.
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