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5 reasons why Russia invaded Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, sending waves of shock across the globe. Putin warned that interference from other nations could result in "consequences they've never experienced."

Although the tensions in the region between Russia and Ukraine, a past Soviet republic, were in place for some time, they started to escalate in the early 2021s.

Let's take a review five reasons Russia entered Ukraine:

1.)The Crisis in Ukraine - An American attempt to stop it

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked US president Joe Biden to allow Ukraine to become a member of NATO in January the previous year. This enraged Russia, and it began sending troops across the Ukrainian border to participate in "training exercise" during the first quarter of this year and increased the number during the fall. In December, the US began in the process of "hype" about the presence of Russian soldiers. In addition, president Joe Biden had threatened Russia with severe sanctions to attack Ukraine.

2.) America's Multiple Attempts at Curbing Russia – Europe Pipeline Projects from JFK to Reagan

When one looks back in time, it becomes evident that dependence on Russian energy has not happened overnight. The US has been speculating for a long time about Russian willingness to use trade to tie the hands of other countries - a concern dating back to the early days of the Cold War.

Western Europe imported six percent of its oil only from the Soviet Union in the 1960s. The new planned oil pipeline connecting the Russian far East and going through several European countries such as Ukraine and Poland, finally terminating in Germany, was bound to increase the supplies manifold. This increased dependence was definitely giving significant coercive power to the Soviet Union. Thus, these changing dynamics raised strategic concerns and rang the alarm bells in Washington.

3.) Russia – an Emerging Energy Giant

Post-collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in the early 1990s and after several years of struggle for economic power and internal turmoil, The administration that was enacted by president Vladimir Putin finally ensured that Russia is now viewed as an energy giant, becoming the third-largest producer of oil, and the second-largest producer in natural gas. Russia is believed to have utilized its energy revenues to build up 630 billion dollars in foreign reserves of exchange. This isn't the only time conflicts between Russia and Ukraine have escalated. Russia-backed separatists have captured large regions in the eastern region of Ukraine and have been fighting Ukraine's military since. Russia had taken over Ukraine's Crimea region before that.

4.)Energy Security – An Effective Foreign Policy Tool

Contrary to his predecessors, who abstained from cutting off energy exports in the past, Russian president Vladimir Putin smartly merged his economic policy with geopolitical goals. For instance, Ukraine continued to receive the same subsidized gas imports through Russia at the beginning of the 2000s, as it did as a part of the Soviet Union a decade earlier. However, the "Orange Revolution" in the latter half of 2004 led to the removal of a pro-Russian president and his replacement by one who sought to strengthen connections towards Ukraine.

The Minsk peace accord has been signed between Russia and Ukraine to stop the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, including the Donbas region. But, as the violence persists, Russia has stated it will be sending "peacekeepers" into the area. Moscow uses it to claim sovereignty over land, as per the West.

5) A Small Window of Opportunity – for the US and Ukraine

The growing tension between Russia and Ukraine that share borders with European nations could have ramifications across Europe. That's why the EU is joining the US by imposing sanctions on Russian companies and organizations. Europe isn't able to accept Reliance upon Russia's Energy Exports.

While Russia relies on revenues from Europe, the latter depends on the supply of energy from Russia. In all, Russia was supplying about 1/3 in European natural gas consumption. This is used to heat homes in winter and produce electricity and industrial production. The EU also depends heavily on Russia to supply more than one-quarter of its crude oil imports. Russia has therefore been identified as the single largest energy source in the EU.