On February 24, 2022, Russia** Putin announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine, triggering the worst war in Europe in decades. For more than a year, fierce fighting has been waged between the two sides in the Donbas region of eastern and southern Ukraine, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and **, as well as the displacement of millions. The war has also led to the collapse of Ukraine's economy, the energy crisis in Europe, and global chain disruptions and prices. Judging by the current situation, there is no sign of diplomatic action to alleviate the crisis. As a result, the Ukraine crisis is likely to enter its third year in February 2024, accompanied by increased regional and global tensions, an increased economic recession, chain disruptions, and more death, destruction, and human suffering.
The roots of the Russo-Ukrainian war can be traced back to the Ukrainian revolution of 2014, when the pro-Russian **Yanukovych was ousted** by the opposition and the populace**, and Russia subsequently annexed Crimea and supported the pro-Russian ** forces in eastern Ukraine. Since then, ongoing clashes have erupted between the two sides in the Donbas region, which has led to more than 130,000 deaths. In 2015, the two sides signed the Minsk agreements, brokered by France and Germany, aimed at achieving a ceasefire and a political settlement. However, the agreement has not been effectively implemented, and skirmishes and clashes continue to occur on the front lines between the two sides.
At the end of 2021, Russia amassed a large number of troops and heavy ** on the border with Ukraine, causing vigilance and concern in the international community. Western countries and NATO have repeatedly urged Russia to withdraw its troops and avoid military adventures, while providing political and military support to Ukraine. Russia, for its part, accuses Western countries and NATO of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs and threatening Russia's security and interests, while refusing to engage in any meaningful dialogue and negotiations. On February 24, 2022, Putin announced a "special military operation" against Ukraine in a televised address, claiming that it was to protect Russia's compatriots and interests, as well as to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine.
Russian forces are invading Ukraine from three directions, northern, eastern, and southern, while launching massive air and missile strikes on Ukraine's vital cities and infrastructure. The Ukrainian army, with the support of Western countries and NATO, put up stubborn resistance, but was inferior in equipment and numbers and had to give up part of its territory. Russian forces have captured one-fifth of Ukraine in a matter of months, including Mariupol and Zaporizhzhia in the south, and Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. Russia also announced in September that it had annexed the four regions and incorporated them into the Russian Federation, prompting strong condemnation and opposition from the international community.
The Ukrainian army launched a large-scale ** campaign in early September, successfully recovering large swathes of Kharkiv Oblast and the town of Izyum, which hit the morale and confidence of the Russian army. Ukrainian forces also launched an offensive in Kherson in the south, forcing Russian troops to withdraw from the city, the first and only regional capital to be captured by Russian forces since the start of the war. Since then, the war has entered a stalemate, with fierce artillery and ground battles between the two sides in the Donbas region, in which neither side has been able to achieve a decisive advantage. So far, the war has caused more than 50,000 deaths and**, and more than 15 million people have been displaced.
The Russia-Ukraine war has not only brought huge humanitarian and economic losses to Ukraine and Russia, but also brought serious threats and challenges to security and stability in Europe and the world. The war has led to an energy crisis in Europe, as Russia cut off gas and oil deliveries to Europe, while destroying Ukraine's nuclear power plants and transmission lines. Many countries in Europe have had to take emergency measures, such as limiting electricity and oil, and seeking alternative energy sources**. The war has also led to chain disruptions and prices across the globe, as Ukraine and Russia are important producers and exporters of grain, fertilizers, and metals in the world.