10 Facts About the Russia-Ukraine War That Are Known So Far

By
Charleen Teh
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With the constant influx of news regarding the Russia-Ukraine War coming in from numerous sources,  and many events happening simultaneously, it might be hard to grasp what is the current state of things.

Therefore, here are ten facts (or developments) that you should know about the war that is happening across the ocean and on the European continent, and perhaps how the ripples of violence might affect Singapore.

Before anything, if you want to know why Russia invaded Ukraine, you might want to watch this two-minute video to the end first:

How It Started: The Formal Declaration of War

In the early morning of 24 February, Russian President Vladimir Putin began a televised broadcast, announcing that he was going to launch a “special military operation” on Ukraine.

His Justifications Summarised

In his agonisingly long 43-minute speech, he claimed that he had received appeals for help from Donetsk and Luhansk—which will alternatively be termed as the Donbas Region—that had broken away from Ukraine on 21 February 2022, under the witness of Mr Putin himself.

On 22 February, he had proceeded to order Russian troops to move into the Donbas region for “peacekeeping operations”, but current events dictate that it was a pre-emptive move before formally starting a full-frontal assault on Ukraine.

Next, Mr Putin stated that the goal of the military occupation was to “protect the people have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime” ever since the Donbas Region was succeeded by Russian-backed separatist groups in 2014.

Additionally, Mr Putin desires to demilitarise and “denazify” the current junta in power, for they have “committed numerous bloody crimes against peaceful residents, including the citizens of the Russian Federation.

The third reason Mr Putin brought forward was that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) eastward expansion towards Russia is a security threat for the country.

Roping in Ukraine as a geopolitical chess piece, or possibly as a springboard to attack Russia, is something that Putin deems unacceptable. He claims that NATO and the United States (US) have repeatedly deceived the Kremlin, and repeatedly reneged on their promise to not expand eastwards.

Lastly, he continues to question if Ukraine ever had a “genuine statehood” and reiterates the narrative that Soviet Ukraine has always been old Russian lands.

Russian Attacks at a Glance

Minutes after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 43-minute-long televised speech where he announced that a “special military operation” will be carried out, explosions were heard near many major Ukrainian cities.

According to numerous reports coming from various sources like Reuters, CNN, Al-Jazeera, and Ukrainian local papers and officials, the list of known attacks, compiled by The Guardian, looks like this from a topical view:

Image: The Guardian
  1. Ground Invasions from Belarus at Senkivka
  2. Two columns advance on Chenihiv
  3. Russian forces seen in Chernobyl area and capturing the power plant
  4. Ka52 Mi-58 Helicopters attacks on the Hostomel military airbase
  5. Russian tanks were destroyed as they entered through Kharkiv
  6. Fighting reporting around Schastya, the province next to Donetsk
  7. Military vehicles crossing over from the Russian-annexed Crimea
  8. Invasion from Crimea reaches deeper into the Dniper River
  9. The Ukrainian naval base at Ochakiv was attacked
  10. Reports of an amphibious landing in Odessa was denied.

The Damages Done Thus Far

According to the latest reports (as of 25 Feb, 11am Singapore Time), Ukrainian Health Minister Oleh Lyashko stated that 57 people have been killed and 169 have been wounded.

By mid-afternoon on 24 Feb, the Kremlin’s defence ministry declared that they have “neutralised” Ukrainian’s airbase and air defences, having struck 74 military ground facilities, which include 11 airfields, three commands posts and 18 radar stations for anti-aircraft missile systems.

Ukrainian authorities confirmed that 204 attacks have been carried out and that the damages were spread across the country.

The first wave of assault from Russia involved cruise missiles, artillery, and airstrikes which specifically targeted military infrastructure, border positions and air bases.

Seven “powerful” airstrikes had targetted the Vasilkovsky Airport in the edges of Kyiv, where Ukraine military fighter bombers were stored.

Most notably in Mariupol, the Kyiv Post reports, “The Ukrainian City of Mariupol is under heavy fire with reports of hundreds of explosions. The city is one of the biggest Ukrainian ports on the Azov Sea. Taking Mariupol would help Russia secure a direct land route to Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.”

From witnesses’ accounts, clashes could be heard throughout the night in the Ukrainian Capital of Sumy.

In Southern Odessa, 18 people were killed in a missile attack, and another six were killed in the town of Brovary, near Kyiv.

Four people were murdered when a shell landed on a hospital in Vuhledar, Donetsk.

Russian troops have moved into the Chernobyl area, and the workers at the infamous nuclear plant are currently being held hostage.

Battle at Zymiinyi Island

On Zmiinyi Island, otherwise known as Snake Island, a small Ukrainian border outpost in the Black Sea just 70 nautical miles of Russia, came under fire and was subsequently destroyed.

During the opening invasion, Zmiinyi Island had been one of the first targets due to its location, but it was also isolated and surrounded by hostile waters as Moscow held dominion over the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea after it built the Kerch Bridge, which linked Crimea to mainland Russia.

The bridge was strategically built on the Kerch Straits that led into the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea.

A contingent of 13 Ukrainian soldiers had been posted on Zymiinyi Island when a recorded ultimatum was sent to them by the Russian Navy on a nearby warship.

In the radio message, the Russian sailors said: “This is a Russian military warship. [We] suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender to avoid bloodshed and needless casualties. Otherwise, you will be bombed.”

The Ukrainian soldiers held strong against the threat, but it was to their demise.

Their last words before they were killed were: “Russian military ship, go f*** yourselves.”

Shortly thereafter, all 13 soldiers were killed in an aerial bombardment.

On Thursday evening (24 Feb), President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy posthumously acknowledged the deaths of the soldiers.

And just before the airstrike started, one of the soldiers on Zymiinyi Island streamed their last moments:

Chernobyl Power Plant Workers Being Held Hostage

As many are at least vaguely aware, Chernobyl is the site of the worst nuclear disasters that have ever occurred in human history.

The nuclear reactor plant is located 80 miles north of Kyiv, and when it exploded in April 1986, it flooded radioactive waste across Europe.

The area has since become an unlivable, barren wasteland, though a protective shelter was built years ago to prevent further radiation leaks.

Owing to the Russian invasion, one of the shells hit the radioactive waste repository and a Ukrainian official reported that there has been an increase in radiation levels.

The increase was particularly prominent in Sweden. 

Presidential Advisor Myhailo Podolyak told The Associated Press that the local authorities have no means of knowing the current conditions of the Chernobyl facilities, and there are concerns that the staff have been taken hostage.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki denounced Moscow’s actions in Chernobyl and demanded the release of the hostages, as it could impede efforts to maintain the nuclear facility.

The gravitas of the situation cannot be understated.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urges that maximum restraint should be exercised to ensure that the facility isn’t placed under further danger.

The only fortunate news to come out of the entire situation thus far is that the IAEA General Director, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has ascertained that there has been no casualties or destruction at the industrial site, even though “unidentified armed forces” have taken control over the area.

However, Russia’s reasons or interests behind claiming the area are unknown.

Edwin Lyman, the Director of Power Safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington even commented: “I can’t imagine how it would be in Russia’s interest to allow any facilities at Chernobyl to be damaged.”

After all, the collateral damage caused by the nuclear core melting and exploding occurred in the Soviet Union era; it’s impossible that they wouldn’t be aware of the repercussions, should another disaster occur.

Nevertheless, the hostage situation is quite worrisome.

Fleeing Ukrainian Citizens

With the war ravaging their lands, Ukrainians that are fearing for their lives are leaving their home country by the millions.

At the Luzhanka border crossing into Hungary, hundreds of cars can be seen jammed in a queue that stretches 2 kilometres back from the borders on Thursday afternoon.

There were even a stream of people crossing on foot, holding suitcases and bags that were filled with their necessary belongings.

Most of the Ukrainians running into Hungary belong to a minority that have relatives living in the West, hoping to seek temporary refuge with their kin until the worst has passed.

In the capital’s central train station, Kyiv-Paszhyrskyi, hundreds are passengers are attempting to leave. There are long queues for ticket and information, but many wander about with their baggage in tow and no tickets for departure.

Meanwhile, at the Medyka Crossing, the shared borders between Poland and Ukraine, many Ukrainians are seen trickling in with their children, and the foot traffic is only increasing as each hour passes.

Cramped buses and full vehicles could also be seen over the horizon of the borders.

Scheduled trains from Kharkiv—one of the bombing sites in Eastern Ukraine—to the Polish town of Przemysl, was carrying a few hundred of passengers as well.

The Dorohusk border in eastern Poland faces a similar situation as well.

As a result, Poland has announced that it will open nine reception centres along the 535-kilometre border it shares with Ukraine.

The reception centres will provide meals and medical care, as well as a place to rest and receive information.

Poland authorities expect that there will be more than one million Ukrainians coming over as the first phase of the war rages on. 

During a press conference in the US, Ms Psaki said that she expects that some Ukrainian refugees might enter the US as well.

Besides those that have immediately chosen to seek refuge elsewhere in Europe or some other continent, there are still Ukrainians who are adamant on staying.

Thousands have sought shelter in underground metro stations, away from the airstrikes.

The Major of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has declared that it is prepared to provide shelter at the metro stations in the event of a Russian invasion.

Whole New List of Sanctions

With President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of war, a whole new list on economic sanctions have fallen on Moscow’s head, this time stricter and tougher.

The White House was the first in lead, with US President Joe Biden declaring an updated list of sanctions on Thursday.

The targets include Russia state-owned banks, five Russian oil tankers and container ships, oligarch elites that have close ties with Putin, and it also banned US banks from trading Russian sovereign debts.

The European Union (EU) was one-step behind, imposing sanctions on 27 individuals and entities, the 351 members of the Duma that voted in favour of Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, the 11 individuals that proposed it, and the commander of the “peacekeeping missions”.

They intend to come up with a more comprehensive package of economic sanctions come Friday.

Likewise, the United Kingdom has joined in, going as far as freezing the assets and imposing travel bans on eight individuals and 11 businesses, of which includes 5 banks.

Other notable countries that have risen to the call of hard-hitting economic and targeted sanctions are France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia.

New Zealand, which doesn’t have a legal framework for imposing autonomous sanctions, nor has it ever done so, has announced a travel ban for Russian officials.

The New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern similarly calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russia forces.

China has chosen to remain silent on this matter, though it has started advising its Chinese citizens to get out of Ukraine and Russia.

You can read this article on how different countries are responding to the invasion.

Protests in Russia

In a surprising feat, anti-war protests have broken out across 53 cities in Russia, telling their President to lay their hands off Ukraine.

These brave protesters have been lauded worldwide, for they risk being arrested and detained by the Russian police.

Although it’s hard to count how many have faced the end of the baton or been put into handcuffs and behind bars, gathered figures have shown that at least 1700 protestors have been arrested.

In one image captured by Photographer Dmitri Lovetsky from Associated Press, a man was seen struggling and shouting against three riot police in black in St. Petersburg.

Anti-War Protests in Across the World

Similar anti-war protests are being held in many cities across the world, in rejection of the cruel invasion that is ongoing in Ukraine.

Despite the freezing temperatures in Manhattan, New York City, which possesses one of the largest Ukrainian communities, people could be heard chanting “Stop the War” and “Stop Russia Now” as they held up signs or draped themselves in the Ukrainian flags and marched towards the United Nations.

Demonstrators have also gathered outside their respective Russian embassies, waving the Ukrainian flag.

Whether it was Warsaw in Poland, Flinders Street in Melbourne, the New Times Square in New York, outside the White House, the Republique Square in Paris, in front of the Russian Embassy in Rome, Austria, Spain, Norway or to the streets of Tokyo.

All of them have stood up for a common goal, for the sake of urging their respective government to take action and stand up for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion.

You can view the collection of images on Al-Jeezara or CNBC.

Large-scale and widespread demonstrations like these have scarcely been seen since the Vietnam War or the freeing of satellite states from the Soviet Union’s iron grip, where people formed a long connected chain of held hands to signify their unity in the cause.

Oil Price Inflations

One of the unfortunate side-effects of the war is that it has caused an increase in oil prices.

Image: The Wall Street Journal

Shortly after the Russia-Ukraine War broke out, the prices of crude oil surged above $105 per barrel.

The possibility of Singapore being affected in terms of rising costs of living is no longer just a prediction, but an imminent reality if nothing is done to pull down the prices by either increasing the supply through persuading Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), or decreasing our own demand.

The latter of which, is difficult to accomplish in a short time, despite Singapore’s plans for a greener future, as stated in the Budget 2022.

The reason being that the war itself increases the demand for oil to fuel the military operations, and it also disrupts the energy being extracted and exported as whole. Russia is one of the energy-rich countries and providers, besides the Middle East and the US.

The shortening supply in the face of increasing demand thus causes the oil prices per barrel to skyrocket.

In the same vein, besides the economic sanctions on Russia having a double-edged impact, albeit more harmful towards Russia as it becomes an isolated country in political and economic relations, the negative economic effects of the war will be felt globally.

And it’s not just the prices of oil either; prices for aluminium have climbed as much as 3% to about $3,380 per tonne, and other metals are being affected too.

The war will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences, and Ukraine is currently taking the biggest brunt as it is gradually becoming trapped on all sides.

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Charleen Teh
Email: [email protected]