Image Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Ever since Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian Crimea in 2014, there has been an increasing amount of tension and international attention given to the situation. Despite the support NATO has given for Ukraine and Russian activity in the area, the situation has yet to develop into a full-fledged war.
Approximately 13,000 people have died between April 2014 to the end of 2018 in the conflict, which some Ukrainians have dubbed the Donbas War. Of the 13,000 dead, 3,300 are civilians, 4,000 are Ukrainians, and 5,500 are estimated to have been Russian-backed forces. Between 27,000 to 30,000 people were wounded and injured in the conflict.
Although the commitment of the United States to NATO seems to have waned under the administration of President Donald Trump, America nevertheless has sent support to Ukraine in the form of US tank and NATO Infantry battalions. The US continues to be a major part of NATO and its response to the increasing aggression of Russia towards Ukraine despite its increasing criticism of NATO nations’ contributions to the alliance.
Unlike Russian domination of the conflict in Syria — indeed the US has even withdrawn existing forces from Syria in a recent move by the Trump administration — NATO has responded to Russian aggression by stationing soldiers in and around Ukraine along with training Ukrainian forces.
Despite its avoidance of open warfare with Russian forces, NATO has restricted Russia’s ability to dominate the situation in Ukraine by deploying forces in and around Ukraine, deterring an all-out war. A European war, which would involve Western European and Russian forces, would be very costly, and by positioning NATO forces in Ukraine the potential for all-out war is drastically reduced.
Although a wider war is unlikely, it does not seem that the tensions will dissolve any time soon. The world has seen concessions made by both sides towards reconciliation, with prisoner exchanges being the most notable and public example of these concessions, but the two nations still have yet to come close to negotiations. The people involved in the conflict have a long road ahead before peace will come as many Ukrainians oppose peace deals made with the Russians.
Start of Hostilities
Image Source: Central Intelligence Agency
During the Cold War, which began in 1947, Ukraine was under the influence of the Soviet Union, however, since the fall of the USSR in 1991, Ukraine has grown closer to Western nations as many saw a potential NATO membership expansion to Ukraine and trade deals with the European Union. The president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, seems to hold a foreign policy of reconsolidating Russian control over former Soviet territories, which includes Ukraine. Putin currently holds a rather strong grip on Russia, and his foreign policy seems popular among Russians as well.
In March of 2014, Russian soldiers took over annexed Crimea, which has a majority Russian-speaking population. Putin has cited numerous reasons for the act. However, since then Russia has taken many aggressive actions such as firing artillery from across the border, moving troops towards annexed Crimea, conducting cyberattacks and supporting groups fighting in Crimea. Despite the threat posed by NATO troops in the region, Russia continues to escalate its involvement in the area, with growing cyberattacks and continuing material and military support in Crimea.
Image Source: Al Jazeera
Over 13,000 — which is considered to be a conservative estimate — people have died due to the conflict, a number that rivals the number of people who have died in the conflict in Yemen. The conflict in Yemen has been considered a Middle Eastern proxy war between the regional powers of Iran and Saudi Arabia. Despite the casualty figures seen in Ukraine, NATO has not been directly involved with the conflict for fear of a widened war.
Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners recently, renewing the hopes for negotiations to happen between the two nations. Although it is unclear if they will take place or not, there is that option.
How can it end?
Although peace talks are not guaranteed, they do not seem to be an impossible task. Ukraine and Russia have made concessions to each other in the form of prisoner exchanges, including one in September in which 70 prisoners were released.
Ukraine and Russia even seem poised to exchange more prisoners in the future. However, some allies of Ukraine, including the Netherlands, have urged Ukraine not to partake in these prisoner exchanges citing Russian prisoners accused of shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, and accusations of Russian torture of prisoners arrested on baseless charges.
Despite the urging of its allies, Ukrainian leaders seem determined to improve its relations with Russia. Ukraine, and perhaps even Russia, seems to be interested in ending this conflict. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has even made a deal with Moscow to give autonomy to Ukraine’s pro-Russian rebel-held east.
Image Source: Newsweek
Despite the tentative moves towards peace that Zelensky is pushing, Ukraine has still lost its sovereignty over Crimea and the government is facing internal opposition in the form of massive protests — which have recently turned violent — in Kiev for this move. Ukrainians are signaling their discontent with the move, hoping to influence the Ukrainian parliament from approving this deal.
Despite all the moves from both sides towards peace, there still exists much opposition towards peace from many internal and external factions. Zelensky’s deal is indeed a capitulation to Russian interests and would be a victory for and validation of Putin and his foreign policy.
Another way in which the conflict could end is with an electoral loss of Putin. Putin has been a relatively popular political leader in Russia. However, Putin’s poll numbers seem to have slipped in recent years, with less than half of Russians supporting Putin according to a June poll. It is very possible that Putin could potentially lose power in the near future, with a successor taking on new foreign policy goals.
Although it is very unlikely that Russia and NATO-backed Ukraine will engage in a full-scale war, it is still a scenario that should be considered. Although both Russia and NATO have mobilized sizeable forces into the region, potentially deterring either side from intervening more, both sides have been edging the other towards war. Russia has moved troops to the border and attacked Ukrainian infrastructure, while NATO has deployed four battalions to Eastern Europe along with two US tank brigades in Poland.
Why should we be concerned?
It has been only 28 years since the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, which had divided so much of the world. Although unlikely, this could result in a war between major world powers. It has large implications for the world if this does happen. Even if no war happens, the attention of the West has been captured by this conflict and has escalated tensions between East and West. Many nations are captivated and actively involved in the conflict. We could also be seeing a new chapter of world history as Putin could lose power as a result of the Ukrainian situation and lose his decades-long grip on Russian politics.
Featured Image Source: The Daily Beast
The Royal Street to Card Magic could be just the answer. Humberto Brenes is the proprietor of some eating places and a Tv channel in Costa Rica. This icon is married and he is the father of four kids.
If you wish to enjoy some enjoyment, you could have lots of enjoyment on sport slot machines. If you do not know much about gambling, you may be curious to understand more in regards to the several types of slots, their unique functions and the various ways of playing them. This information will give you some information that will help you get acquainted with this kind of game. Game Position Models can be known as Blackjack and Movie Poker. These types of on the web casinos give you a wide selection of casino games including Bingo, Craps, Keno, Poker, Slots and Roulette.
If you are looking for a game that can provide you with fun, excitement and relaxation, then consider playing a slot machine. There are now a lot of casinos offering online casino games including game slots. Online casinos have become a very popular destination for gamers who desire to have a nice time while playing their favorite casino games. While there are many advantages in playing online games including convenience, you should also be aware of the disadvantages in playing such games. If you want to be a winner and enjoy your casino trips, it is advisable to carefully look at the cons in online casino gambling before deciding if you will take part in the game. This will help you prevent yourself from encountering unpleasant situations and give you more enjoyment while enjoying your online casino trips.
If you are buying a game that can give you fun, pleasure and rest, then consider playing a slot machine. Nowadays there are lots of casinos offering online casino games including game slots. On the web casinos have become a popular location for gamers who need to really have a wonderful time while enjoying a common casino games. While there are numerous benefits in playing on line activities including convenience, it’s also wise to know about the drawbacks in playing such games. If you intend to be described as a success and enjoy your casino trips, it is sensible to cautiously go through the drawbacks in on the web casino gambling before deciding in the event that you will require portion in the game. This can help you prevent yourself from experiencing uncomfortable scenarios and offer you more pleasure while experiencing your on line casino trips.
A lot of individuals who are thinking about stepping into gambling are often met with the process of how to choose an excellent casino game position machine. A lot of people are fortunate to be able to learn models offering free reels and also a higher room rate, while the others will need to resort to applying more old-fashioned types of winning. Regardless of what your selected approach to earning is, it’s important to consider that you can’t rely on chance alone. It’s important to perform at a casino that gives you a variety of slot possibilities to help you increase your odds of winning. Listed here are some tips to help you choose the very best slot device for you personally:
If you enjoy playing online casino games, perhaps you would enjoy playing in a game slot machine, it is quite exciting especially when you win. This gives you the thrill and excitement that many casino goers crave for when they play in the casinos. You do not have to travel to Las Vegas or Atlantic City to enjoy slot gaming fun. It can be enjoyed just as much wherever you happen to live.
If you appreciate enjoying on the web casino games, probably you would appreciate enjoying in a game title slot machine, it’s really exciting particularly when you win. This gives you the enjoyment and excitement that numerous casino goers desire for if they enjoy in the casinos. You don’t have to happen to be Las Vegas or Atlantic City to take pleasure from position gaming fun. It could be liked equally as much wherever you happen to live.
If you are planning to go to an on line casino and would like to perform your chosen sport slot device, rest assured that there are numerous alternatives for you really to select from. In fact, you will not only have a lot of possibilities available, but you will also get the opportunity to perform for free. Many of these casinos let people to enjoy a common slot machines from the comforts of their very own homes, so this means that you may not have to happen to be Vegas or Atlantic Town if you wish to play a number of your preferred casino slot games.
Many fresh gamers believe that utilizing much more hands is the key to increase chances of winning. Gambling these days has been fairly glamorized and draws on a player’s funds.
Might it be concerning the rules, about methods utilized or tricks used to improve one’s sport. But if you would like to have fancier chips, then you may have your own chips and intimidate your opponent with it.
Most men remember the gladiatorial concept of war throughout the Roman, Spartan days. It’s all about making the best initial impression you can possibly make to attract the ladies, so go all out.
The concept of online casinos with free slot machines is a very simple concept; the idea is to simply land on the winning symbols and this is usually done by scratching the numbers shown on the symbols and it then tells you if you hit it or not. It’s just a way of simulating the real slot machines where you can win real money, but you don’t have to actually risk any money to play these online casinos. There are many sites out there that claim to have free slots and to be honest, it’s often quite difficult to tell which sites are genuine and which ones are not. In order to make sure that you can get a lot of information about the online casinos with free slot machines and which sites are actually giving away free slot machines, you should look through some online casino reviews. Online casino reviews will let you know which sites are giving away bonuses and what these bonuses actually are so you don’t end up wasting your time on a site that doesn’t have anything to offer you in the way of bonuses.
The online casinos offer free bonus game slot machines that enable the gamblers to win real cash bonus. You have to understand that there are a number of casinos that offer this service on the internet. To know more about it you can read the blogs and reviews written by the casino’s customers or check with the casino’s online casinos that are associated with the slot machine business. A good online casino should be well known for providing the best casinos and bonus games. You should also read the bonus news that is provided to you by the online casinos so that you will be aware with any new update in the bonus game slot machines.
To start with you need to generally consider that there are a number of on the web casinos from which can decide to have the most effective game position device experience. The first thing that anyone would like to do is to find an online casino that’s got the most effective sport slots and this can be achieved by keeping some important details in mind. There are numerous on the web casinos from which you can entry and make the most of this golden possibility but there are a few facets that you’ll require to keep in your mind and this will ensure that you find the best experience. These ideas and techniques can make certain that you produce the right choice and get hold of the huge jackpot.