The Russian invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago brings flashbacks from the bipolar world of the Cold War. At the beginning of the century, when the world seemed to leave behind the old discussion between the Americans and the Soviets, it appeared as if the Earth was entering a new age of globalization. There was an oblivious illusion, where the Western countries assumed the fall of the Soviet Union was the imposition of capitalism as a transcendent force. Such was the fantasy, as a mechanism to erode national allegiances in favor of corporate and individual commercial relations.
Ideals such as these have fallen short of the world’s devastating reality. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia desired to maintain certain power relations with the other post-communist countries; among those countries was Ukraine. The Russian Federation had created a certain type of buffer zone between the West and Russia by exercising its power under the sphere of influence it controlled. Ukraine happened to be among those countries in the buffer zone, and as such, Russian interest in the nation was a top priority for their national security.
Before the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and the invasion in 2022, the Russian government and its elites had thoroughly penetrated Ukraine militarily, economically, socially, etc. Such was the scandalous Russian influence that Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was found guilty of treason after a national protest alleging his collusion with the Kremlin. According to The Guardian, former President Yanukovych fled to Russia after being ousted by demonstrations against his administration.
That was just on the political front; there are reports and serious allegations of profound Russian intelligence infiltration in the Ukrainian government. Overall, the Kremlin’s interest went beyond economic or social desires of power, but Ukraine’s adherence to Russia’s sphere of influence was fundamental to prevent further Western expansion.
Accordingly, when Ukraine continuously tried to be part of NATO and the European Union, it triggered alarms in the Kremlin. The Guardian further noted that Ukraine’s close approach to these Western organizations was seen as a potential erosion of the buffer zone Russia had vehemently tried to maintain. Consequently, on Feb. 24, 2022, President Vladimir Putin formally announced the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “a special operation.” Immediately, this conflict turned into an outright total war after President Zelenskyy’s declaration of war.
Ultimately, Russia’s war with Ukraine is a radical action out of fear and desire for conquest. Ukraine’s relationship with the Western bloc posed no significant imminent threat. Beyond, any preventive measures Ukraine did not perform any disproportionate belligerent action that would compel Russia to wage total war on Ukraine. The international community is right in its normative evaluation of the issue: This was an “unprovoked and unjustified attack on Ukraine.” Nonetheless, the series of events conveyed in the materialization of this war is nothing less than the reaction of empires when they feel threatened.
The old African proverb holds true to this conflict: “When the elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.” In this case, Ukraine was caught in the middle of two elephants. As the U.S. intends to contain Russia, the latter intends to expand and preserve its hegemonic influence in the region. The Cold War might have ended, but the animosity between these powers still remains. When one power gets too close to the gates of the other, churches and monasteries will start ringing bells because they know the war is coming.
Avila is an opinion writer for the Liberty Champion