Staff Reporter
The world was on heightened alert at the weekend as fears mounted of a large-scale Russian invasion of its Eastern European neighbour Ukraine.
Russia has continued a massive buildup of 130,00 combat troops, air defences, artillery and logistics along Ukraine’s borders with Russia and Belarus.
US officials warned that Russia could be on the verge of an attack, likely starting with a barrage of air or missile strikes.
President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said they did not know whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision to invade – a move that could lead to massive civilian casualties.
However, Sullivan advised all Americans to leave Ukraine immediately – and other countries issued similar warnings. A number of airlines have also suspended flights.
But Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, seeking to avoid panic, has played down fears of an imminent invasion and shown irritation at the dire US warnings.
Frantic diplomatic efforts are continuing with Western leaders after a call between Biden and Putin on Saturday produced no breakthrough.
Russia has denied plans to attack and demanded that Ukraine be permanently barred from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), a US-led alliance of Western militaries in Europe, calling this a “red line” for Russian security.
There are no current plans for Ukraine to join Nato, but the organisation has refused to budge on its open-door policy.
In Putin’s view Ukraine – an independent country since 1991 that was formerly part of the Soviet Union – should never have been separated from Russia in the first place.
However, most evidence suggests that the people of Ukraine want to live in a democratic country that is part of Europe.
Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and annexed part of its territory, the Crimean Peninsula. Ever since, it has backed a separatist war in the east of the country that has cost at least 15,000 lives.
Sullivan said if Russia attacked Ukraine, Nato would respond decisively with harsh sanctions and ensure that the West emerged stronger and that “Russia ultimately suffers a significant strategic cost for military action.”
However, Biden has made it clear that the US will not send troops to Ukraine.
Sanctions could cause disruption to the global economy. Though Russia’s economy is relatively small – it is the same size as Italy’s – it is one of the world’s major producers of oil and gas, and other critical minerals.
“The situation is deteriorating and is reaching a very dangerous stage,” Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday. “The threatening and bullying of Ukraine is completely and utterly unacceptable.”
Image source: @markomihkelson
