The War in Ukraine: Russian Terrorism and Colonization

Guest Contribution

The War in Ukraine: Russian Terrorism and Colonization

It pains me to watch and read the news each day, but what choice do I have? I am a teacher, and I need to be aware of what is happening and so do my students. Ukraine has been in and out of sovereignty, invasion, occupation, and colonization for centuries. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and before this current crisis, Ukraine had a decent economy, independence to some degree (with a looming threat from Russia who took Crimea in 2014), and was the breadbasket to many developing nations. The Knieper River has provided power and access to the interior of Ukraine which sits on the Black and Azov Seas. The access to trade through the Mediterranean Sea, a decent growing season, and fertile lands has made this a nation that should be prosperous and able to sustain its own economy. 

However, Putin’s antiquated belief that Ukraine is still part of the Russian Empire and should not have been given independence is a brutal obsession. He exemplifies narcissism and probably has an Antisocial Personality Disorder which explains his erratic and autocratic behavior. After the end of the Russian Civil War in 1922, the newly created Soviet Union gave Ukraine its culture but took their politics. Under Stalin, they faced hunger and a brutal autocracy. During Kruschev’s deStalinization of the USSR, he favored Ukraine since he was once educated by their Communist Party. When Breznev became premier, he also respected their culture and way of life since he was born in Ukraine. Ukraine declared its independence from Russia just before the fall of what was left of the Soviet Union. Putin, a former KGB agent and Russian leader, has been obsessed with their return to the “motherland” of the Russian “empire.” Once Putin took over Russia after a decade of economic decline, he centralized his power and began his campaign to re-colonize the former Soviet Union: Georgia, Chechnya, and now Ukraine. He is stuck in time when the USSR controlled the Eastern Bloc nations of Europe (the Warsaw Pact who are now mostly members of NATO) and the 15 republics who eventually declared independence in 1991. They may have experienced some form of sovereignty since, yet Putin has been a persistent nemesis to bring them back under Russian oppression. 

What happens next? Putin will never relent until Ukraine gives up at least one third of its land and agrees to never sign a treaty with NATO or the EU without Russian permission. His narcissism will prevail, and he will never soften his blow which in many ways is irreparable. Unless he starts to use chemical weapons or invades a NATO nation, the US and NATO will never cross into Ukraine’s land and airspace. WWIII will be on pause while Ukraine slowly falls apart and the refugee crisis worsens.