Why is Russia attacking Ukraine?: Why Ukraine be so important for Putin Russia

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine: Why Ukraine be so important for Vladimir Putin Russia

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Some believe say na personal obsession of President Vladimir Putin.

Odas say na attempt to return to a kind of new cold war.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine don trigger red flags in many foreign ministries around di world.

Russia launch a major military assault against Ukraine early Thursday 24 February, 2022.

Moscow launch di invasion despising international beg-beg for peace and di threat of severe punishment from di West.

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine: Why Ukraine be so important for Vladimir Putin Russia

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Explosions na im pipo don dey hear across Ukraine, from di capital Kyiv to Kramatorsk and Mariuopol, close to di front-line with Russian-backed separatists or di Donbas.

President Vladimir Putin order di invasion inside a televised speech at 05:55 Moscow time (02:55 GMT).

Putin say Moscow response go be “instant” if anyone try to take on Russia.

Ukraine foreign minister don accuse Russia of starting a full-scale war.

Dmytro Kuleba want di UN “to do everything possible” to stop wetin dey happun.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky in a television message say di Russian president no return him call on Wednesday evening.

Di Kremlin dey demand say make Ukraine promise never to join NATO.

Moscow also want Kiev to set limits on di troops and armaments wey dem fit deploy inside kontris wey join dis alliance afta di fall of di Soviet Union.

President Vladimir Putin goment dey also demand di withdrawal of military infrastructure dem install inside Eastern European states afta 1997.

“Dem really want to return to di borders wey bin dey exist in Eastern Europe during di Cold War,” na wetin George Friedman tok.

Friedman na di founder of di international foresight and analysis firm Geopolitical Futures, and im bin dey summarize Moscow demands.

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Washington [American goment] don dey speak of soon to happun alias “imminent” threat from Russia over Ukraine.

And dem don put some 8,500 troops on alert to deploy to Eastern Europe.

United States don also send warships to di Black Sea and order di evacuation of di families of dia diplomats inside Kiev, di Ukrainian capital.

Differently, President Volodimir Zelensky goment don appeal for calm, saying dis crisis begin wit Russia invasion of Crimea.

Di Ukraine lead tok of about di occupation by pro-Russian groups of di Dombash region inside eastern Ukraine, wia nearly 14,000 pipo don die since 2014.

All dis actions bin lead to sanctions against Moscow and dia growing strange connection from di West.

Three key reasons why Ukraine dey so important for Russia

But why e be say Russia attach so much importance to Ukraine?

BBC go give dis three main explanations

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine: Why Ukraine be so important for Vladimir Putin Russia

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1. A safe zone

“Russia dey pursue dis policies at di moment because dem believe say a kontri close to dia border go become a platform for a threatening military alliance.

“So e gatz to do with di possibility of Ukraine becoming a member of NATO and be therefore home to missiles and troops from dis alliance,”

Gerald Toal, professor of international relations for Virginia Tech University inside di United States, tell BBC Mundo.

George Friedman of Geopolitical Futures remember say di territory of Ukraine don serve as a buffer zone for Moscow since di Napoleonic invasion of 1812.

“Ukraine na di western border of Russia. Wen dem bin attack dem from di west inside di First and Second World Wars, na di territory of Ukraine n aim save dem.

Dem get to travel more 1,600 kilometers to get to Moscow.

If Ukraine dey inside NATO hands. Moscow be maybe 640 kilometers away.

So Ukraine na part of wetin save dem since Napoleon. E be a safe zone dem must get,” Friedman tok.

Gerald Toal note say Moscow feel say dem dey surrounded by an enemy alliance, wey dey worry di major world powers.

He remember say for di beginning of dis crisis, di Russian Deputy Foreign Minister referred to di 1962 missile crisis.

Toal recall say dat time Moscow declare say e fit deploy military forces in Cuba and Venezuela.

“Dem do am to emphasize say di United States get dia own Monroe Doctrine, dia own concerns about di presence of hostile forces near dia territory.

“And in dat sense di argument dey valid,” im tok.

“But di answer from Moscow na be say dis dey happen because Russia dey threaten Ukraine and has taken part of its territory.

“From di point of view of Ukraine national security, dem dey look for help.

Di ofessor of international relations conclude say;

“Russia dey look for allies against a state wey e consider very dangerous and which don already take away part of dia internationally recognized territories.”

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine: Why Ukraine be so important for Putin Russia

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2. Historical, religious and cultural links

On July 12, 2021 for inside one long article on relations wit Ukraine, Vladmir Putin bin accuse di neighbouring kontri say e fall into dangerous game wey make am be target between Europe and Russia, to fight against Moscow.

Putin no only refer to di security and geopolitical dimension but above all di history, culture and religion wey unite Russia and Ukraine.

For im write up, e go back to di time of ancient Rus pipo, wey dey considered as di common ancestor of Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians, and e point to di many milestones of common history to defend im point of view wey see Russians and Ukrainians as “one people”.

Gerard Toal tok say dis idea involve many elements wey combine history, culture and identity.

“Russia no consider Ukraine as kontri like any other. How Russian nationalism see Ukraine na like sister Slavic nation and dem see am as di heart of di Rus nation. Na very powerful ideology wey make Ukraine be like di central part of Russian identity,” e tok.

Russia dey prepare to invade Ukraine?

“So very strong emotions dey when Ukraine as a nation dey in opposition to Russia. E dey create plenty anger and frustration for Russia, wey feel betrayed by a brother. Na failure of di dominant vision for Russia to recognize say di Ukrainian national identity na something wey dey different from Russia”, e add.

George Friedman dismiss any cultural or historical significance Ukraine fit get for Russia and argue say Moscow real concern na geopolitics.

“Yes, dem get common history. Historically, Russians dey dominate and oppress Ukraine.

During di Soviet period, Ukraine suffer great famine wey lead to di death of millions of pipo because Russia wan export di grain dem produce. So di idea say great unity dey between di Russian and Ukrainian pipo no make sense,” e tok.

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine: Why Ukraine be so important for Putin Russia

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3. Putin Legacy

Inside one interview last December, one senior analyst on foreign relations say di Ukraine issue na one wia di emotions of Putin come into pla.

Kadri Liik, na senior analyst for di European Council on Foreign Relations and an expert on Russia n aim tell BBC Mundo dis.

Liik for im view, say Putin positions fit sometimes look like e no dey rational.

Gerard Toal bin point out say e get reasoning say Putin bin dey personally humiliated by wetin happened to Ukraine during im tenure.

Dat na wen Putin continued efforts to install pro-Russian leaders in Kyiv failed to bear di expected fruits .

‘Di general argument be say im don dey wrestle wit dis issue for some time and feels say dis be one unfinished business.

E dey part of im legacy and needs to be settled once and for all’ , e tok.

“Putin feel say di West don turn Ukraine into an anti-Russian platform and dat na something e need to address,” he add.

Toal, however, believe say e dey risky to analyze di crisis in Ukraine from an emotional angle.

Vladimir Poutin

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According to Putin vision and speech, Russia and Ukraine be “one people”

NATO meaning and why Russia no trust dem?

Nato na di North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

Dis organisation na one military alliance wey 12 kontris form for 1949.

Some of di kontris wey form am na United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and France.

Nato currently get 30 members, and members agree to help dia sef in case anyone of dem dey face attack.

Why is Russia attacking Ukraine?: Why Ukraine be so important for Putin Russia

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Dis be drawing wey dey show Nato expansion since 1997

Ukraine no be Nato member but e be “partner kontri” – dis one mean say understanding dey ground say Ukraine fit dey allowed to join di alliance sometime in di future.

But Russia want assurances from Western powers say dem no go ever allow am happun – something wey di West no dey prepared to offer.

Oga Putin tok say over di last 30 years, tori be say Nato no go expand but today di alliance dey put up infrastructure “right for our doorstep”.