re: Latest Updates: Russia-Ukraine Conflict

So I’ve done some research on why Putin has invaded Ukraine. Putin is not crazy, and it’s logical, from his perspective. This is his view:

First off, Putin believes that Russians and Ukrainians are one people with a shared history, culture, language, etc. He is fine with it being a separate country, such as how the U.S. and Canada are separate countries but have shared values.

According to Putin, the West has been trying to undermine Ukraine for years. In 2013, the leader of Ukraine declined to sign a free trade agreement with the EU and opted to continue to align with Russia, as they have historically. And in 2014, an anti-Russian coup overthrew the Ukrainian government and installed a pro-Western government.

Putin did not recognize this government as legitimate as the legitimate government was overthrown by a coup he believes was orchestrated by the West.

This new government recruited ultranationalists and neo-nazi militias to fight against those more closely associated with Russia in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

Putin annexed Crimea to protect the large pro-Russian population from these militias.

Much of these militia groups had been absorbed by the regular Ukrainian army over time, and the government has been very appreciative of their efforts to do the dirty work fighting pro-Russian separatists. There is a real sympathy for these ultranationalist Neo-nazi groups in the Ukrainian interior ministry.

So when Putin claims one of his objectives is to “de-Nazify” the Ukrainian government, that’s what he’s talking about.

And now this new Ukrainian government is trying to join NATO. If they join NATO, Russia loses Ukraine forever.

It was now or never for Putin and Russia. He feels the legitimate Ukrainian government was overthrown by a Western coup and he cannot accept what he sees as an illegitimate government bringing NATO to his doorstep.

Putin believes he is liberating the Ukrainian people from anti-Russian, pro-Western aggressors who are the illegitimate leaders of Ukraine. He does not want to kill Ukrainian citizens. He does not want to destroy Ukraine. He wishes to oust the government to free Ukraine, in his view.