Since Russia began its attack on Ukraine, much has happened. Since many of us do not watch the news daily, here is a breakdown of the most recent events and what it means for each country.

Updates

Russia has continued with its current invasion of the country Ukraine. Since they have begun invading the capital Kyiv a total of 264 civilians have died, including four children. Ukraine Mayor Vitaly Klitschko revealed that more than 300 people had been hospitalized due to injuries, and over 80 buildings had been destroyed. Before the war, around 3 million people lived in Kyiv; however, this population had dropped significantly due to the war, leading to less than 1.5 million people leaving as many have fled the country to protect their children and families. Klitschko expressed to CNN how Russia’s goal is to rebuild its empire; however, Ukraine wants “to be part of the European family as a democratic, modern European country.”.Russian troops continued to Kyiv, the strategic port city of Mariupol, as troops have remained stalled outside the capital of Kyiv. In response, thousands of Mariupol residents have fled the country, and Russian troops continue to bomb their city. A United States defense official revealed how Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is considering the possibility of deploying additional American troops to neighboring NATO countries as the United States refuses to be further involved until a NATO country is invaded or harmed.

Russian Protest:

One major question is why Russia is invading Ukraine with protests from its citizens. On Sunday, Russian police detained more than 4,300 people on a Russia-wide protest against President Vladimir Putin. According to an independent protest monitoring group, thousands of protesters lined the streets chanting “No to war!” and “Shame on you,” according to an independent protest monitoring group. Dozens of protesters were seen being detained by police, and even some were beaten onto the ground by police officers in riot gear. In addition, murals and statues of President Vladimir Putin have been defaced, vandalized, and destroyed across the city.

China Sides with Russia:

During a UN security council meeting, China was the only county to join Russia to vote in favor of the Russian-led effort, with 13 other countries abstaining from the vote, choosing to take a neutral stance. The draft resolution declared a humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. This indicated that China would stand as one of Russia’s only allies if a potential war outbreak were to occur.

Russia expel US diplomats from Moscow embassy: 

The U.S. State Department declared that Russia has declared U.S. diplomats as “persona non grata” and is evicting them from the embassy. They had complained that President Joe Biden’s characterization of their President Vladimir Putin as a “war criminal” has violated their foreign affairs. In response, the U.S. has removed 12 Russian United Nations representatives that have been based in New York. encouraged Russia to halt their unhelpful and unproductive steps with the relations between the two countries and end the expulsion of United States diplomats and staff from the Moscow embassy.

Why is Mariupol critical?

Mariupol is a pivotal target in Putin’s war as it provides a land bridge between Russian forces and Crimea to the southwest. Mariupol is an important port on the Sea of Above, part of the Black Sea. The BBC reported that it is one of the biggest ports in the Above sea region, home to significant iron and steelworks in Ukraine. If Russia can conquer it, it will cause massive harm to Ukraine’s economy as it is vital to export and a hub for Ukraine’s economy, which runs on steel, coal, and corn. In addition, this port can export these goods to customers in the Middle East and other parts of the world, which helps Ukraine’s economy prosper. Therefore, conquering this city would be a massive victory for Russia as they will have further control of Ukraine and its economy.

Conclusion 

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked other countries to pressure Russia as the war appears to be entering a stalemate. The British government has stated that the Ukrainian forces are carrying out successful counterattacks against the Russian units as they defend the outskirts of Kyiv and are hoping to regain lost ground. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that alliance leaders are expected to meet and discuss on Thursday to organize a significant commitment to send major increases in troops along the eastern flank. Zelenskyy has announced that over 100,000 people are still stuck at the port city of Mariupol and are under a complete blockade suffering from inhumane conditions and need help. Russian airstrikes have besieged the port of Mariupol and have left the land in ashes. The United States and other European nations are expected to put more sanctions on Moscow and the rest of Europe in hopes for Russia to back out of the invasion.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60825226

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/23/1088113318/what-mariupol-means-ukraine-russia-military-campaign