Complex history of invasion in Ukraine

The present situation is the most recent chapter in a long, complex, turbulent history. Human activity goes back to prehistoric times, almost 50,000 years ago. Farming flourished around 4,500 to 3,000 BC, particularly in the West and East. Nomadic tribes migrated into the territory, and by the Iron Age, the Scythians had established a kingdom from 750 to 250 BC. Ancient Greeks settled on the Black Sea, and the Romans occupied land until the 6th Century AD. Goths invaded and settled, then the Huns overran the area.

Slavic tribes expanded into Ukraine in the 5th Century, and in the 7th Century it was the centre of the Bulgar state. Then the Kazakhs, a semi-nomadic tribe from Central Asia, established the Khazan kingdom near the Caspian Sea, and the Caucasus.

Vikings in the 9th century settled in Ukraine but the breakup of the Viking state signalled a Mogul invasion in 1240, led by the grandson of Genghis Khan. The Poles and Lithuanians invaded in the 14th century, and the Mongols (or Tartars) were driven out, though they still occupied the Crimea until the 15th century, when the Turks took control. In the 15th and 16th centuries Poles fleeing serfdom and religious persecution, settled in the steppes region of Ukraine. They were called the Kozaks or Cossacks, which meant ‘freemen’, who formed self-governing communities.

In the 16th century the term ‘Ukraine’ came into popular use, meaning ‘border lands’ or ‘frontier’ between Poland and Russia. By the 17th century, Poland dominated the West, and Russia the East. Catherine the Great absorbed Eastern Ukraine into Russia. As Poland declined in the 18th Century, Russia and Austria carved up Ukraine with Russia controlling most of the territory, and Austria, the West. In 1783, the Russians conquered the Crimea, and by the 19th century, Ukraine was in Russian hands. Nationalism spread across Europe and in Ukraine intensified during World War 1. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Ukrainians took advantage and proclaimed independence. But it was short lived, and they were forced into the Soviet Union in 1922.

Stalin established collective farms, depriving Ukrainian farmers of land and livestock and forcing them to work on land now owned by the state. Stalin was determined to crush Ukrainian peasants and set impossible quotas before being allowed grain. Probably seven million people died. This was followed by Purges from 1937-39 when Ukrainians were executed and transported to prison camps.

When the Germans invaded in 1941, many thought this was liberation, but then the Nazis murdered millions more Ukrainians. In 1943 the Red Army recaptured Kyiv, and reprisals were taken by Stalin against any suspected of collaborating with the Nazis or being disloyal to Russia. After the war there was an uneasy relationship with Russia.

After the nuclear power disaster at Chernobyl, resentment and criticism of Moscow rule increased. In 1990 there were anti-Soviet demonstrations. With the end of Communism and the Soviet Union, Ukraine once more became independent. There were problems with high inflation, the collapse of the economy, corruption, and, in 2004, rigged elections. After demonstrations, elections had to be re-run, and Viktor Yushchenko was victorious. Relations with Russia grew colder, and there was a move to join the European Union and NATO. Putin saw all this as a threat to Russian security. In February 2014 he illegally annexed the Crimea. Ukrainians then suffered years of war as Russian troops supported rebel-backed forces in East Ukraine. Putin recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as part of Russia. There was fear he would invade the rest of the country, with military exercises and arms along the border. Despite diplomatic initiatives by European countries and the USA, and reassurances from Putin, on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion.

Putin, after graduating from Leningrad University in 1975 with a Law degree, began a career in the KGB as an intelligence officer, mainly in East Germany. In 1999, Boris Yeltsin promoted him to prime minister. In December 1999, Putin was made president. After becoming prime minister in 2008, he was re-elected to the presidency in 2012, after widespread allegations of fraud. Some regard Putin a dictator. His aggressive policy in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, where chemical weapons were used, and in the Crimea, has caused concern. After the invasion of Ukraine the world has united against him. Putin miscalculated the impact and Ukrainian resistance. Putin claims he is protecting Russian security, but his actions have pushed Ukraine and other Eastern European countries towards the West. Russia is becoming isolated, its people will suffer. The Russians have attacked an independent country, and democracy. It is an attack on the self determination of a European nation, a violation of international law, and Putin is using Cruise missiles on civilians and threatening nuclear weapons. Some believe he is trying to recreate the old Soviet Union.