The war in Ukraine continues to drag on nearly two years since the start of armed conflict. Nearly half a million civilians and soldiers have been killed or wounded, and the war continues with no signs of concluding. While both Russia and Ukraine’s governments at large and top leaders have acted poorly, significant negative public opinion in the western world has been centered at Vladimir Putin, the longstanding leader of Russia. Countries across Europe and North America have cast Putin as a tyrant and a bloodthirsty international aggressor threatening the sovereignty of an unprovoked Ukrainian nation. While the causes for the conflict remain questionable, serious concerns and problems within the Russian military have been brought to light in the stalemated conflict.
The struggle began on February 24th, 2022, when Russian missiles were launched against cities across Ukraine. Subsequently, Russian military united moved swiftly, seizing significant chunks of Ukrainian territory. Within weeks, Russian forces had arrived in the suburbs of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and had begun to bombard another city named Kharkiv. This has been the “high water mark” for Russia thus far in the conflict, as Ukraine mounted a staunch resistance. Eventually, the intense fighting spirit of the Ukrainians and serious logistical problems for the Russian military that resulted in food shortages altered the situation. By the Autumn season of 2022, Russia retreated from the north and shifted its focus eastward. The conflict remains stagnant here today.
The world continues to watch as the conflict carries on. In an ominous statement, speaking from Kyiv alongside the former CIA chief General David Petraeus, Oleksiy Danilov, the Ukrainian secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine stated that “World war 3” has already started. Danilov said that anyone who thinks otherwise is incorrect. Danilov rejected the idea of any negotiations with Moscow and compared the situation in Ukraine to the United Kingdom facing the “blitz” in World War Two.
