Beginning of First Russo-Ukrainian War

Beginning of First Russo-Ukrainian War

Reported By CW2 L.Kelso February 20

10 years ago today, on February 20th , 2014, the Ukraine conflict we know today “started”. The 2014 Ukraine war, also known as the Ukrainian crisis, stemmed from a complex web of historical, political, and ethnic tensions. One of the primary causes was Ukraine's decision to pivot towards closer ties with the European Union, particularly through the signing of an Association Agreement. This move was met with fierce opposition from Russia, which saw it as a threat to its sphere of influence in the region. Russia had long been concerned about NATO expansion and the potential encroachment of Western influence on its doorstep. Additionally, Ukraine's internal divisions between the predominantly Ukrainian-speaking west and the Russian-speaking east exacerbated the situation, with pro-Russian sentiments particularly strong in Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine.

The conflict escalated when Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, following a controversial referendum that was widely criticized as illegitimate by the international community. This action sparked further unrest in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatist movements took hold, supported by Russia both overtly and covertly. The Ukrainian government's attempts to quell the separatist insurgency led to a full-blown conflict, characterized by armed confrontations, territorial disputes, and humanitarian crises. The war not only highlighted deep-seated geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West but also underscored the fragility of Ukraine's internal unity and the challenges it faced. This conflict is still the one driving the current warfare in Ukraine today.