Majhar Mannan :
Russia’s attack on Ukraine proves once again that world humanity is in turmoil today. Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine is truly reprehensible and deeply regrettable, as people around the world move forward with the slogan, “We want peace, not war.” Today, humanity is in danger in many parts of the world, and in the meantime, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has provoked it, which will lead to a truly terrible situation in the whole world. Russia has a wide range of interests with Ukraine and these issues can certainly be resolved through diplomatic means but Russia has decided to attack instead of going the way. It is a wrong decision and it will take the whole world to the brink of World War III.
Russia has been attacking Ukraine, both by air and land, and has already destroyed several key installations by air. The Ukrainian army is retaliating against the Russian invasion, but they have not been able to put up a strong resistance or build a stronghold that would allow the Russian army to enter Ukraine so easily. Ukraine’s president has announced that he will continue to fight Russia until the last moment, but he lamented that he did not get those who were supposed to be on his side during the war.
Russia wants Ukraine never to join the NATO alliance and build alliances with the West. Russia has set a red line to keep Ukraine away from NATO because Ukraine was once part of the Soviet union and Russia has been trying for a long time to prevent it from joining NATO. Russia is a very big country and it has a huge territory but the biggest problem of Russia is that there is hardly port of warm water that can keep it running all year round. A Crimean port supplies warm water to Russia all year round, so Russia does not want to lose this port. This port is the main gateway of Russia’s to the Baltic Sea. In addition, Crimea has been part of Russia for about 200 years, and about 60% of its population is ethnically Russian. So if Ukraine joins the NATO alliance, Russia’s control will be reduced, so Russia never wants to accept it. Western nations, including the United States, are seeking Ukraine’s accession to NATO, but Russia wants assurances that European Western nations will block NATO’s accession. Russia considers Ukraine as its backyard, and Russia also believes that Western powers and the NATO alliance are trying to weaken Russia’s power by controlling Ukraine. NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe is at an all-time high, but Russia cannot accept it.
Russia has been attacked by a large number of foreign powers over the past 500 years, all of which have been carried out through the plains of northern Europe. Therefore, Russia is never willing to accept that Ukraine should have good relations with Europe. During World War I and World War II, Germany used this route to invade Russia, so the Russia always considers this route as a threat. The break-up of the Soviet Union began around 1990, with some countries withdrawing from the Soviet Union and later joining NATO, which Russia now considers a major threat to the its security.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine will have an impact not only on Ukraine but on the whole world as it will put an economic strain on the whole world and at the same time it will destroy the humanity of the world. If Russia were to occupy Ukraine completely, the problem would become more acute and not diminish, creating a more volatile environment around the world. So the biggest interest now is to end the war with Ukraine regardless of which country in the world has interest because the people of the world don’t want to see war anymore. They want peace. The Ukraine issue has turned into an extreme humanitarian crisis and the West is showing its thumbs up to the world that is triumphing over humanitarianism. But Russia is not paying any heed to the triumph of that humanitarianism in the Western world. If the Western world, NATO and the United States do not take a firm stand, Russia will easily occupy Ukraine and it will become a new thunderbolt for the whole world.
Due to the imperialism and aggressive policies of the powerful nations of the world, today the common man has become very helpless and war is raging and at the same time the humanism of the world is being plundered. Even in the midst of this crisis, the parent body, the United Nations, is unable to do much without a few recommendations and urgings, so this position of the United Nations is really sad. Today, it is time for all the good powers of the world to stand together against the war.
(Majhar Mannan is Assistant Professor, B A F Shaheen College Kurmitola).
