Russia Invades Ukraine : War Comes To Europe - 1 week on

At around 3 am, on Thursday 24th February 2022, Russian President Putin announced, via a pre recorded message that Russia had launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine in response, he said, to threats from the country.

Explosions were heard in cities across Ukraine and initial reports of casualties by around 7am GMT  at least eight people had been killed and nine injured by the Russian shelling.

I watched on TV in disbelief and horror, with millions of others around the world, as Russian tanks rolled across the border and reporters told of the escalating situation, minute by minute.

Russian President Vladimir Putin  had announced in a pre-recorded  broadcast that he had ordered "a special military operation" in eastern Ukraine in response, he said, to Ukraine aggression. The Ukraine Border Service said that its border posts with  Belarus and Russia  were under attack and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law. 

Thousands of people were now trying to get out of the capital  Kyiv with traffic jams stretching for 25 kms heading eastwards. Some were heading towards the border with Poland, others to Moldova, Romania and Slovakia and some had made the decision to stay and face whatever was to come for them. 

By 17.00 Reports were broadcast that Russian forces had captured the Nuclear Power Plant at Chernobyl and the abandoned city of Pripyat. 

At 22:00 the State Border Guard Service announced that Russian forces in the Black Sea had conquered Snake Island following naval and air bombardment. Shortly after Twitter and other social media posted an exchange between a Russian War Ship and the border guards on the island, who were allegedly shot and killed whilst still in conversation.

(A few days later it was  reported that the guards could still be alive).

The Russian - Ukrainian War is an ongoing war involving Russia, pro-Russian forces and Belarus on one side and Ukraine on the other. Conflict began back in 2014 following the Revolution of Dignity and focused on the status of Crimea and parts of the Donbas, internationally recognised as part of Ukraine. The conflict includes the Russian annexation of Crimea, the War in Donbas, naval incidents, cyberwarfare, and political tensions. Russia has given military backing to the separatists in Donbas whilst trying to hide its involvement. Having built up a large military presence on the border from late 2021, Russia launched the large-scale invasion of Ukraine which we are seeing today.

 

We in the UK have not had to think seriously about the likely-hood of war in our country, at least since WW2.  Perhaps we are in a better position than other countries who are land bordered rather than being islands and this may have given us a sense of security which has been felt in past years but is now being shaken. 

Each year we solemnly remember those lost in the two World Wars and other wars - Greece, Palestine, Malaysia, Korea,  Aden, The Gulf, Kosovo, Falklands, Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, and the continuing "war" against ISIS. 

Those who have family and friends serving in the UK armed forces are well aware of the anxiety and trauma felt when their loved ones are posted to and serving in a war zone, wherever it happens to be.  Most of us receive news of what is happening around the world by the latest reports on TV and these days through the immediacy of social media but some how,  the quickly unfolding situation in Ukraine seems closer to home than ever before. 

I have seen many of my own family and friends become refugees having fled their homes during the civil war in Syria, from 2011, where in response to the civilian uprisings, government forces resorted to lethal violence and opened fire on unarmed protestors. The Syrian military began barricading towns, the first being Daraa and all incoming telephone lines, media, food and medicine supplies were blocked as forces exerted excessive and indiscriminate violence on civilians. We followed as best we could with news on TV and with phone calls and Whats App in the few times that there was a connection. Despite the horrendous scenes that we saw, we were never certain of what was happening where and when, or who were the perpetrators of each bomb, sniper shot or explosion. The President, Assad, who began this war did not post his thoughts and intentions on Twitter, for the world to see. 

Fortunately, many sought and gained refuge in Germany, Denmark and Sweden but only after treacherous journeys of months and years. 

My brother in laws account of his experiences can be found here :

Undefined - A Journey From Syria as a Refugee  by Fadel Abuelula  

Over the past week, some have said that we are more sympathetic to the Ukrainian people in this war more than any other,  because they are European, Christian and white - yes, even a journalist on the scene said those very words. There is no doubt that this is the view of many - and they have every right to those views. 

It is clear that the media  - TV, social media and mainly Twitter - are the main reasons for the feeling of proximity and empathy. Never before have we had such instant information on the actions and events of war as it happens live, and the immediate response from our government and leaders and others around the world. I would never have believed before this that I would be following Ukraine's President Zelensky, on Twitter, as he rapidly emerges as a national and global hero leading his people and country in the face of the Russian invasion. Though he says he is the Kremlin's number one target he refuses to flee the capital and walks the streets of Kyiv urging Ukrainians  44 million people to resist through self styled video updates. Of course, we all now know that the man on Ukraine's version of "Strictly" - "Dancing with the Stars" is also the voice of Paddington Bear and the irony of his "Servant of  the People" performance, where he plays a teacher who unexpectedly becomes president, is  obvious. 

He tweets in Russian and English which also brings the whole scenario feel nearer.

All we see of Putin is a despot, sitting at a ridiculously long table with him at one end, spouting dangerous lies and his generals at the other. This could also be a parody or satirical 

comedy show itself. 

One week on from the start of the invasion the madness continues, Russia takes control of  Kherson its first major city as the assault on the country intensifies. Residential areas in major cities, have been bombarded and the key cities of Mariupol and Kharkiv encircled.

The International Criminal Court (ICC)  has called for all those involved in the violence  to remember the rules of international law. 

But war criminals like Putin don't care about International Law. 

More than one million civilians have fled Ukraine, according to the UN (United nations).

The EU  (European Union) estimates that up to four million people may try to leave the country because of the Russian invasion.

The bloc has relaxed its rules on refugees and says its member states will welcome the refugees with open arms.

Poland has so far taken in 505,582 refugees is also preparing a medical train to transport wounded Ukrainians, and is arranging 1,230 hospitals to send them to.

As for other countries, the UN says that so far:

• Hungary has taken 139,686
• Moldova 97,827
• Slovakia 72,200
• Romania 51,261
• Russia 47,800
• Belarus 357

88,147 people have moved on from these countries to others in Europe.

In the southern town of Mariupol, hundreds are feared dead after sustained shelling. 

The death toll in one week is in its thousands. Each one, regardless of nationality, is someone's brother, sister, father, mother, husband, wife or child. 

And so it goes on - towns and cities needlessly destroyed, families broken and men, women and children's lives tragically lost.

Today, President  Zelensky has said that Russia will pay for the invasion, that Ukraine will not give up and that every street, building and church that Russia has destroyed, will be built up again. 

The UK's defence secretary Ben Wallace has said the prospect of a normal diplomatic relationship with the Russian government is 'almost impossible' after Putin's invasion and that Russia will be completely isolated with further sanctions on its banks and oligarchs.

 Politicians have no solutions to this situation. World leaders can not undo the carnage which has already happened. No one can bring back those killed with such impunity.

God help them all.

“My friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie: It is sweet and fitting that you should die for your country.”

— Wilfred Owen

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