e-sRC

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2014. The war started after Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, which led to the ousting of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych. Following the revolution, pro-Russian unrest erupted in eastern and southern Ukraine, and unmarked Russian troops occupied Crimea. Russia soon annexed Crimea after a highly disputed referendum, leading to the Ukrainian parliament declaring Crimea a territory temporarily occupied by Russia.¹

In April 2014, Russian-backed militants seized towns in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region and proclaimed the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), starting the Donbas war. The separatists received considerable but covert support from Russia, and Ukrainian attempts to fully retake separatist-held areas failed, although Russia denied involvement, Russian troops took part in the fighting. In February 2015, Russia and Ukraine signed the Minsk II agreements to end the conflict, but they were never fully implemented. The Donbas war settled into a violent but static conflict between Ukraine and the Russian and separatist forces, with many brief ceasefires but no lasting peace and few changes in territorial control.²

In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and began occupying more of the country. The invasion became the largest attack on a European country since World War II. It is estimated to have caused tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilian casualties and hundreds of thousands of military casualties. By June 2022, Russian troops occupied about 20% of Ukrainian territory. From a population of 41 million in January 2022, about 8 million Ukrainians had been internally displaced and more than 8.2 million had fled the country by April 2023, creating Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II.³

The conflict has also had significant consequences for the global economy. Extensive environmental damage caused by the war, widely described as an ecocide, contributed to food crises worldwide. The war has also had geopolitical implications, with Russia and Ukraine being the main belligerents, and various countries providing aid to Ukraine. The outcome of the war has also had significant consequences for the global political landscape. Russia’s actions have led to increased tensions between Russia and The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), this tension have raised concerns about the use of nuclear weapons in the conflict. The war has also highlighted the challenges of international cooperation in addressing global conflicts and the need for a more effective response to such crises.⁴

The Russo-Ukrainian War is a complex and multidimensional conflict that has had significant consequences for both Ukraine and the wider world. The war has been marked by various aspects, including causes, key events, international response, and humanitarian impact, and has involved various forms of power and tactics. The war has also highlighted the challenges of international cooperation in addressing global conflicts and the need for a more effective response to such crises.

Aims and Objectives of the Study

The aims and objectives of this study are to provide a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the Russo-Ukrainian War from 2014 to 2023, focusing on the power politics and international relations aspects of the conflict. The study aims to explore the causes, key events, international response, and humanitarian impact of the war.

The objectives of this study are to:

1. Provide a historical overview of the Russo-Ukrainian War from 2014 to 2023, including the origins, key events, and international response.
2. Analyze the use of military, economic, political, and informational power in the conflict.
3. Examine the impact of the war on Ukraine, Russia, and the wider world, including the humanitarian, geopolitical, and economic consequences.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of international efforts to resolve the conflict, including diplomacy, sanctions, and military aid.
5. Provide recommendations for future research and policy-making to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the Russo-Ukrainian War.

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