Russia has in its latest move launched an offensive on the Donbas region of Ukraine. This attack in the Donbas region is the largest action on European soil since the second world war. Ukraine Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said called the attack a ‘ruthless battle,’ and urged Ukraine’s allies to speed up deliveries of weapons and ammunition to the country.
As per a local government official, the Russia-appointed administration of Ukraine’s Kherson region will ask Moscow to set up a military base on its territory. Russia has seized the Kherson region adjacent to Crimea, has installed a new administration and has started introducing the Russian rouble as the currency.
Meanwhile, as the European Union mulled an embargo on Russian oil imports, Moscow said it saw its economic ties growing with China amid its isolation by the West. In Russia, a rare public expression of opposition to the war emerged from the ranks of the Russian elite with a veteran Kremlin diplomat Boris Bondarev resigning and sending a scathing letter to foreign colleagues in which he said of the invasion, “Never have I been so ashamed of my country as on February 24.”
This action is the latest part of the larger ongoing Russian offensive on Ukraine. Although Russia has not yet declared an official state of war, there seems to be hardly any action that has not been taken owing to this reason. The ‘Special Military Operation’ as it is being called by the Russian government has employed all assets at its disposal for the accomplishment of the mission.
There have been various reports of various war crimes being committed by the Russian soldiers in the occupied regions on the civilians of Ukraine. Recently, a Russian soldier was given life imprisonment for war crimes committed. War crimes are crimes that are defined under International Humanitarian Law.
The surge of anti-war protests going on inside Russia has been complemented by the resignation of the veteran Kremlin diplomat. It is indicative and reflective of the Russian elite’s dismissal and disagreement with the course of action adopted by their government.
The international community and countries worldwide continue with their support for the Ukrainian government and people, ranging from economic sanctions to the supply of weapons to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom visiting the conflict-hit country. The EU has brought in an embargo on Russian oil imports, further giving a hot at the heart of the Russian Economy. The Russian administration on the other hand said that it saw its economic ties growing with China amid its isolation from the West.
It remains to be seen what will be the result of the ongoing conflict. What we do know is the costs keep piling up, on both sides. As per a report by Forbes at least 15000 Russian soldiers have died in the conflict to date and if predictions are to be believed this number is only going to grow, at an ever-increasing rate.
The biggest offensive on European soil since what was the most bloody event in history is not something that we should take lightly. The situation hangs by a thread more delicate than ever before and one wrong step could lead to the snapping of the thread, unleashing the horror of widespread death and destruction.
What lies in the future for the people of the two countries? What more cost needs to be paid to bring an end to this bloody conflict? Will peace and stability ever return to the region? Will these two countries and the world ever be able to go back to how things were?
Only time shall tell.
