Introduction
Russian President Putin declared one of the biggest wars to be ever experienced after the Second World War. This was attributed to the fact that there was justification that Ukraine was a significant threat to the Russian government, and they were not comfortable with this making the countries go to war. Russia was the cause of the conflict, and so many countries experienced the impacts of war. The Russian government wanted to overrun the Ukraine government by taking charge.
Ukraine had joined the western defensive alliance, NATO, while the Russian government has seized for good joining the defense alliance. Putin, the president, had failed terribly to capture the Ukraine capital Kyiv and was now focused on attacking Ukraine from the east and south. Putin declared war in late February this year. He had strategically mobilized his people and aimed to demilitarize Ukraine and de-Nazify the country. He argued that he wanted to liberate the people of Ukraine against the genocides experienced by the government.
During the war, he condemned Ukraine for joining the wester defense alliance and wanted to neutralize the country. The Russian foreign minister stated that they were focused on freeing the people of Ukraine from their oppressions while safeguarding the future as they thought their situation was worse and threatened. The people of Ukraine had recently engaged themselves in the democratic process by electing their new president Mr. Zelensky. Zelensky was in great danger as he was the primary target.
The Russian troops had made several attempts to bomb his presidential compound with no success. This is a narrative that the Russian government has held since time immemorial that the Nazis and genocide have continued to cause oppression. The Russian government is held accountable for threatening world peace by causing war. Many countries have expressed their views on the incident, referring to it as absolute genocide. On the other hand, Russia tried to defend itself not to be held accountable by claiming that they did not mean to cause the destruction and had no intention of invading the Ukrainian government but were instead protecting their interests.
Identifiable human rights Violation
During the war, many human rights were continuously violated. There were many unlawful killings. Humans were treated inhuman manner. Torture among women was often repeated. The situation was unbearable for any human being to thrive. Life-threatening conditions were experienced in the correctional services due to the constant bombing of the Ukrainian state. Those detained in prisons were treated with no respect as they were continuously punished due to the tension built in the form ( Kuzio, 2018).
Donbas experienced an innumerable number of problems due to the constant abuses that Russia was facing. Civilians were abused physically; members of the armed forces trusted with the work of maintaining peace were held in detention. The freedom of expression had been limited throughout the Ukrainian state, where it was witnessed that the network systems were tampered with, the media personalities were not allowed to take coverage of the situation in Ukraine as world peace had been threatened(D’Anieri, 2019).
Many websites were blocked during the conflict, where some media and journalists were prosecuted and arrested under unclear circumstances, where the arrests were unjust, threatening their lives. Refugees in the country were displaced, and there had nowhere to go as the war intensified, increasing their levels of suffering. Investigations were rarely carried out in cases where women and children were defiled. People living with disabilities were the center of attraction together with ethnic people in the country, and the worst forms of child labor continued to be reported daily. Many people issue violent threats, making them live in fear (Najafova, 2022).
The governments failed to be accountable and prosecute those officials who continued to incite war together with those that committed capital offenses threatening peace. The judiciary was interfered with, lacking its original independence. Religious freedom continued to be limited, where people were not allowed to worship freely. The people from the east of Ukraine faced severe restrictions and little movement in their areas. Political limits in the country where participation was prohibited. The elections were conducted in ways where there lacked transparency.
Humanitarian aid was limited to the people affected. In Crimea, human rights were a center of interest as human rights continued to be violated. People disappeared in mysterious ways while others continued to be abducted and forced into inhuman torture. Politically motivated killings to be witnessed where government agents were reported to commit arbitrary. Many innocent people were convicted of the crimes they were unaware of.
Is the conflict justified?
From my point of view and the research done, the conflict was not justified. The Russian government lacked valid reasons why they were invading the Ukrainian government. Russians, such as the genocide and Ukraine joining the NATO and the genocides experienced in Ukraine for a long time and thought it was high time that its people were liberated from captivity.
Rumors spired that NATO encircling the Russian state would threaten its security was not a reason for sparkling the war as the defense wing had promised that at any cost, it would not interfere with their running. Even before Putin, the current president, had been elected, the Russian government had little interest in NATO.
The historical view inspired Russian logic in their invasion. They assumed that there was an invasion of the country from the western side after every century. After being fully assured, the Russian government had its insecurities, significantly when the NATO alliance was enlarged, continuously gaining power and support. Newly formed states that were independent had joined the NATO. When viewed well, the countries tried to free themselves from the Russian regime and influence (Hilbig, 2022).
Instead, Russia continued to be worried when Ukraine joined NATO. The Russian people did not fully support the NATO alliance earlier on. Still, recently, the researchers conducted, it was established that seventy-five percent of the population wanted immediate joining rather than to continue being a neutral state (Kuzio,2018). The Russian government wanted to regain some of their lost interests when Ukraine removed a president elected by the people expressing that the state did not act according to the people’s interest.
The impeached Yanukovych had established close relationships with Russia. Western superpowers sympathized with the people about the decision to join the EU by then. This has since angered the Russian government. Russia tried to express its disappointment with Ukraine after failing to uphold peace in Minsk. The agreement meant that each country was obliged to withdraw the heavy machinery to help Donbas republicans thrive for succession.
The implementation that was agreed upon never happened, making it difficult for international bodies that were trusted with protecting the separatist republics. The Russian government had a feeling that the Donbas residents in Ukraine required help from the systematic genocide. Putin was observed to say that some people needed freedom to prevent and protect them from demolition. Moreover, the Russian government felt that the modern Ukrainian people were eroding their cultural heritage.
When Russia invades Ukraine because of culture, this is an unjust cause that lacks proportionality. by virtue that the drug neo-Nazis led Ukraine, Russia felt a need to neutralize it. But on the other hand, the data obtained from the United Nations shows that the situation is worse in Russia as cases of drug abuse and trafficking are relatively higher. Russia entering into conflict meant they wanted an upper hand in drug trafficking, making the reason unjustifiable.
How the international community respond to Russia
Russia did not uphold transitional justice. The international community should deal with Russia for their violent acts shown to Ukraine during the civil conflict they were facing. Russia is set to be answerable for violating human rights. The United Nations that acts in the interests of the world should intervene and try to settle the dispute. Those individuals that were actively involved and started the war should be prosecuted.
The Security Council, the most powerful of the United Nations, should intervene to help stabilize the situation by promoting peace and security in the countries affected. Russia should be disarmed for using its military aggression on another country. The international criminal court should charge leaders from the Russian state for failing to uphold peace and causing humanitarian suffering because most of the killings were politically motivated. The international criminal court should be allowed to conduct its investigation to establish the causes of the conflicts and the people involved.
Due to mass killings, torture, and religious freedom limitations, the international court of justice should investigate the matter and prosecute Russia. Under universal jurisdiction, the court should act accordingly and ensure the complete restoration of human peace. The Russian government should be heavily fined for failing to promote economic development and for the losses encountered by other states during the war.
Conclusion
Economic globalization should be significantly encouraged around the globe. Globalization helps to avail a variety of goods and services. The various governments should consider making human rights green. This will enable us to recognize the ecological existence of human freedom. Wars should be discouraged throughout. Peace should be left to prevail such that the surrounding is free and economic activities that steer development be implemented.
Strict measures should be implemented by the international court of justice to ensure that human rights are respected at all costs. Those who threaten the climate through bombing should be discouraged as they affect the human environment. Environmental human rights should be implemented to ensure that humans do not suffer.
Awareness should be created among all people. This will help develop a sense of humanitarian where people are reasonable and know the consequences of engaging themselves in conflicts. The war has led to a clear understanding of how the international court of justice operates and the basis it uses to prosecute.
The war between the countries provides a forum in which reforms can be made to help make adjustments in the united nations so that such scenarios are not witnessed soon; this can be achieved by making the UN more effective. Sensitization should ensure that states can think of international cooperation rather than self-interest.
Instead of abolishing the VETO, some provisions could be made to help improve it. NATO should intervene and offer the necessary support to prevent the takeover of Kyiv’s state. Mediators should come up to assist in resolving the conflicts to avoid further damage as a result of war. Sanctions are to be implemented for those states that are found guilty of endangering other countries’ economic development.
Human rights should be the center of interest at all costs in conflict to ensure that there are no mass killings or torture. Policies should be implemented that are clear and state the interests of any particular country. The marginalized people in the society should be protected from the subsequent harm they are likely to face.
Leaders are encouraged to lead as examples to their people. They should be ambassadors of peace in their countries and when representing their countries intentionally. They should not involve their people in their political conflicts or misunderstandings. Forum to be implemented where the states annually meet to discuss issues of peace.
References
D’Anieri, P. (2019). Ukraine and Russia: From Civilised Divorce to Uncivil War. Cambridge University Press.
Kuzio, T. (2018). Euromaidan revolution, Crimea and Russia–Ukraine war: why it is time to review Ukrainian–Russian studies. Eurasian Geography and Economics, 59(3-4), 529-553.
Kuzio, T. (2018). Russia–Ukraine crisis: The blame game, geopolitics and national identity. Europe-Asia Studies, 70(3), 462-473.
Najafova, M. (2022). Impact of war between Russia and Ukraine on food security.
Hilbig, B. E. (2022). Citizens’ Psychological Reactions following the Russian invasion of Ukraine: A cross-national study.
write