Cost of Russian dream: Russia-Ukraine War

 

Starting from the late ninth century Kievan Rus, Russia in its contemporary borders has always been expanding with sporadic events of loosing territories. These expansions from the early years till modern day Russia has impacted a range of people from a different ethnicity and lineages. Russia since from its birth had its expanses covering areas of Ukraine, Belarus, Finland and Baltic states. 

Russia like every other country has taken pride in maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity but rarely had the same feeling for its bordering states. Russia for last few centuries had territory under its domain roughly more than the area of Pluto, but yet never halted its ambitions to expand.

East European states have more or less overlapping beliefs and languages similar to Russians but never completely identified them as Russians.

Even the smaller Baltic states have always demanded to maintain their own identities separate from Russia. Be it former USSR or current Russia, subjugation and force is what they have resorted to maintain the unity of its political borders. 

Struggle at the Border

In the current Russian invasion though west have resorted to providing arms and ammunition to the Ukraine along with political and economic support but yet have kept itself out of the battlefield. Sanctions that have work arounds, arrangements, and exceptions just to keep their energy supplies secured has come forth as a strength for the Russia. 

Europe and the US with its allies has dealt the situation in a way that suits them, Ukraine stands to loose much more than Russia and the west if the fighting continues on the Ukrainian soil. Arms channeled into the battlefield by the west may keep the fire burning rather than finding solution. 

It is Ukraine which has suffered in all the aspects, be it economic, educational, defense or general health. Even if the war stops today, it will take years for Ukraine to stand on its feet let alone be strong enough to face Russia if thing come to blow again in future. 

Not condoning what Putin has done to Ukraine, but Putin is the reality of Russian particularly and the wider global community in general. We have seen in past and so far as well, that sanctions won’t do enough to deter Putin, neither west can completely cut Russia off. 

Origins of the battle

It would be foolish of anyone to think that the origin of the conflict lies in what Putin believes. It is not only Putin who is being hyper nationalist in regards of Russia and its former status as a super-power. If it was not for Putin, there would have been any other person at the helm of Russian decision making system, with his beliefs of Russian supremacy making similar moves to coerce its neighbors. 

Cause to the problem lies in the roots of Russian and Ukrainian history, for that matter Belarusian as well. All 3 nations have similar culture, belief systems and people to people bond, where general public feeling is that all three are the sons of same mother.

Surprising is the fact that Putin’s mother was a Ukrainian and current day Russia has its root in Kiev. Putin has expressed that Ukrainians are brothers and they never wish to spill the Ukrainian blood. 

Adding to this feeling of same roots , is the west and NATO’s expansion eastwards up to the Russian borders. Putin feels Russia was betrayed by the west when USSR disintegrated and succeeding Russian state was humiliated by the the US and west by violating an informal agreement that was made back in 1990s. This agreement was opening up of the west to Russia and halt of eastward expansion of NATO. 

It seems that Putin is quite adamant on his stand and is well prepared for sanctions and ensuing repercussions. Russia doesn’t seems to be alone at all, with growing number of nations lining up for buying Russian energy appears to be the situation where the west seems to have shot itself in the foot.