Ukraine endures, after three years of invasion & war crimes
Putin's war in Ukraine is a crime against humanity. His indifference to human suffering has been a weapon—against Ukraine, against the world, against his own people. Now, the world faces a major test.
Three years ago yesterday, Russia launched a full scale invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine. In the very moments the invasion began, as bombs began to fall on Ukraine’s capital, Russia first lied to the United Nations Security Council, falsely claiming there was no plan for a Russian invasion, then announced a “special military operation”. In the first hours of the invasion, while Lavrov sought to deflect attention, Russian forces were already bombing civilian homes and killing civilians in the streets.
Atrocities were documented early the war, in particular in the crucial enclave of Bucha, where Ukraine resistance fighters, including civilians trained to serve as an expanded defense force, fought to slow the Russian advance on the capital. In Washington, President Joe Biden offered Ukraine’s President Volodomyr Zelenskyy a military evacuation, so he could maintain the elected government in exile. Zelenskyy famously responded “I need ammunition, not a ride.”
Zelenskyy set the tone for Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s campaign of war crimes—defiantly staying in the capital, moving between undisclosed locations and speaking at least once per day to the nation. He rallied Ukrainians to defend their homeland, and won support from allies in Europe and across the Atlantic. Around the world, people began to fly Ukrainian flags—in recognition of the foundational principle of international law, that offensive invasions of sovereign nations are always unlawful, and in recognition of the rights and courage of the people of Ukraine.
In the early days of the war, millions of women and children fled the country, moving to Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Hungary, and to other nearby European countries, in hopes of reaching safety. Men of fighting age were ordered to remain in the country, and Ukraine expanded its military forces rapidly, both in troop numbers and as everyone who could set about supporting the expanded production of weapons and ammunition.
The first year of the war saw massive disruption of everyday life not only in Ukraine and neighboring countries, but across the world. Dozens of countries depend on Ukrainian grain exports for their food supply, and food security concerns grew as global levels of hunger reached record numbers. Putin’s forces attacked and burned farmland and targeted ports, to prevent Ukraine from exporting grain, in hopes of terrorizing the world into supporting a Russian takeover.
In Russia, the word ‘war’ was outlawed, first by order of the Kremlin and then by legislation passed by Putin allies in the Duma. Anyone describing Russia’s actions as war could be detained and tried for treason, and effectively disappeared. This led to the tragic and absurd situation in which hundreds of thousands of young Russian men were disappearing into the largest land war in Europe since World War II, but everyone was required to describe it in Kremlin-speak as a “special military operation”, which Putin promised would be quick and painless.
Eventually, prisons were emptied as prisoners were offered freedom in exchange for an indefinite tour of duty in Ukraine. Putin also launched a “mobilization” effort which entailed sending armed soldiers into Russians’ homes to abduct young men and force them to join the armed forces. The war was so bloody and poorly managed on the Russian side, Putin’s close ally Yevgeny Prigozhin led his mercenary Wagner Group forces into Russia, seizing territory and marching toward Moscow, demanding a change in military leadership. The mutiny failed and Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash no one believes was an accident.
Throughout the conflict, from the earliest days, Putin has threatened an offensive nuclear strike against NATO countries, including the United States. Russian forces seized the massive nuclear power plant at Zaporizhia, the largest in Europe and has inexplicably hit the containment shell at Chernobyl with drones—an action described by security experts as nuclear terror.
Below, we share a selection of essays and reports that provide critical context for what has happened throughout this war, including before the full-scale invasion. The question of whether core principles of international law will be defended is still, three years later, an open question.
Women in Ukraine's military: Who are the Witches of Bucha?
By Rebecca Ritters in Bucha, Ukraine, for DW
When Ukrainian forces reclaimed territory in the early days of the Russian invasion, they uncovered evidence of a massacre in Bucha, a suburb on the outskirts of Kyiv. DW's Rebecca Ritters reports from the town, where she met a group of survivors, including women artillery fighters, who continue to work to keep Russian forces away from the capital region.
How the Russian invasion of Ukraine has further aggravated the global food crisis
Report from The European Council
In May 2022, European countries established “solidarity lanes” to ensure Ukrainian grain could be safely exported over land. In July 2022, Russia joined a global cooperative effort to ensure grain could reach affected countries. In 2023, Russia abandoned that effort and resumed its attempt to reduce support for Urkaine by creating risk of food-related destabilization around the world. Countries across Asia and Africa—who received more than 90% of Ukraine’s grain exports—lost some or all of their Ukrainian grain.
Ukraine will need more than $500 billion to recover
Report from The World Bank
Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, an updated joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) released today by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank Group, the European Commission, and the United Nations currently estimates that as of 31 December 2024, the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine is $524 billion (€506 billion) over the next decade, which is approximately 2.8 times the estimated nominal GDP of Ukraine for 2024.
America’s strategic diplomatic surrender
By Nigel Gould-Davies, for the International Institute for Strategic Studies
Under the 2nd administration of Donald Trump, America is pre-emptively ceding fundamental and long-held positions to Russia in the hope of ending a war it is not fighting. This is likely to make it less, not more, secure.
Back from the brink? Has Emmanuel Macron managed to reason with Donald Trump?
From The Economist
Faced with a collapsing transatlantic alliance, stunned European leaders this week began a diplomatic effort to salvage what is left of it, and try to bring Donald Trump back from the brink over Ukraine. On February 24th Emmanuel Macron, the French president, dashed to Washington three days before Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister, was due to make his own visit. Mr Macron spent three hours with the American president, claiming afterwards that the talks had resulted in “substantive steps” forward.
Why Kyiv matters
February 2014 note from Democracy Witness
Ukraine's struggle for political independence and electoral transparency is a struggle to free the world from the malign grip of feudal authoritarianism. If Putin challenges that progress, the world community, possibly through the UN Security Council, may be forced to take a position on this question of fundamental organizing principles.
Sarajevo siege survivor sends message to people of Ukraine
March 2022 report from Democracy Witness
As Vladimir Putin’s illegal war against Ukraine plays out before the haunted, outraged eyes of the entire world, one survivor of the 1,425-day siege of Sarajevo has shared a personal letter to the people of Ukraine. You can listen to the whole letter on the BBC’s Weekend program.
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