Notwithstanding the complications and the stakes involved in the Ukraine crisis it is just incredible that in an ultra-modern age where the globe becomes one community, international diplomacy should fail so miserably to prevent a war that could have grave multidimensional impact. Again and again, the lust for the superpower status and strategic presence cum military bases has been driving the US and Russia with or without China launch military assaults, occupations, invasions and wars since the era of the cold war ended. With the same aggressive intent and lust Russia has invaded Ukraine just hours ago. President Vladimir Putin calls it a military intervention or operation that has become inevitable after the nationalist ambitions of the Ukrainians and Ukraine’s drive to integrate itself with the European Union and the NATO have threatened Russia’s national security. Putin’s justification has extended to his chilling warning that should any other country interfere in its ‘necessary’ war Russia will act immediately which may lead to consequences the world has never witnessed before.
President Joe Biden who seemingly knew the inevitability of a Russian invasion many days before and his western allies have, as expected, rather grabbed this opportunity to threaten severe economic sanctions as if they were waiting for just that. Most of these countries are extremely vocal saying the sanctions would be such as to hurt Russia extremely dearly and almost isolate it from the global network of trade and commerce; of course, they admit that these sanctions would hurt them too as is unavoidable in a closely-knit global unit. But why take only economic sanctions as the ultimate weapon leaving the Ukrainians to their fate? Why did they not try harder enough for a diplomatic solution earlier? The NATO reportedly is to mobilize its forces in the neighboring European countries; but they have to be wary of Putin’s threats to not allow this invasion snowball into a global war.
We condemn the invasion. We want Russia’s aggression be stopped immediately come what may while we fail to understand who is going to accomplish that as we cannot justify the actions of any of the superpowers or powers of the Planet Earth with overwhelming stakes in Ukraine. There are reports of explosions and Russian shelling in capital Kyiv and several other cities. Ukraine claims it has brought down five Russian aircrafts while Russia says that it has completely destroyed Ukraine’s air defense systems. India’s efforts in bringing back the Indians have stopped as airports in Ukraine are shut now. Around 40 Ukrainian soldiers and 10 civilians are officially reported as killed so far among many more injured.
The panicky citizens of Ukraine are desperately calling upon the United Nations to stop the Russian advances. Huge traffic jams are seen in Kyiv as many of the residents try to flee the city to other possibly safer places. Sounds of bombings and shelling can be heard on the TV news channels across the globe. But a safer haven seems to an illusion. Russian troops had reportedly taken military action in eastern Ukraine days back where it has been supporting the separatists since the invasion of Crimea in 2014. Putin had already recognized two separate nations in that region and it is very clear that he wants the whole of Ukraine to be brought under its direct control for the so-called safeguarding of national security. Of course, many pro-Russia inhabitants of the eastern region have reached the safety by crossing over to Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, a politician, actor and a comedian who was elected as Ukraine’s sixth President by the nationalist supporters in 2019, has in the meantime made it very clear that Ukraine is going to fight the Russian attack with all its might. This apparently means a fight to the finish just for the simple but painful fact that Ukraine is no comparison to Russia’s military power. Zelensky has declared martial law in the nation and has allowed all the citizens to arm themselves with guns for defense. This looks very ominous notwithstanding his patriotic feelings and that he expects arms, ammunition and forces from the western European allies. The Russian President calls the independent-minded patriotic Ukrainians as ‘neo-Nazis’ and this further accentuates the frightening reality.
Should this uncalled-for war be allowed to run its full course thousands of innocents on both sides are likely to perish apart from causing irreparable damage to the infrastructure of Ukraine. And then, the global citizens are also set to suffer in the disastrous economic aftermath. The crude oil prices have already climbed to unprecedented levels in recent times, and the stock markets in India and elsewhere ae already having a red run. Severe economic sanctions are going to provide no relief, but bring on more misery in terms of trade and prices in the global economy that has just started recovering from the pandemic.
The global citizens must rise to the occasion and create enough pressure on the main stakeholders to stop this war. As Russian troops are infiltrating into more and more cities and territories of Ukraine, we all pray for the safety of the Ukrainians. Stop this war!
(Note: ‘Reading’ readers of this site must be wondering how this fella has gone down on his pledge so fast! Well, if international cricketers can retire/resign and re-join at will why not his humble human being on this earth! Anyway, the story about that later, not in this grave and ominous time of war.)
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