Ever since pro-Western forces prevailed in Ukraine, relations with Russia have been in crisis mode. After Moscow annexed Crimea, the current escalation is another highlight.
A change of power in Ukraine more than eight years ago sparked the conflict with Russia. Since then, the neighbors’ crisis has continued to worsen. According to UN estimates, more than 14,000 people have died so far, most of them in the separatist areas. A review.
December 2013: Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians protest in the capital Kiev against pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych because his government overturned the partnership agreement with the EU. Independence Square (Maidan) becomes a symbol.
February 2014: Yanukovych flees to Russia. Moscow militarily occupies the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea.
March 2014: Russia holds an internationally unrecognized referendum in Crimea and incorporates it as part of the country. US and EU impose sanctions on Moscow.
April 2014: In the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbass, Moscow-backed separatists proclaim the “Donetsk People’s Republic”, followed by Luhansk. The Western defense alliance NATO is suspending its military cooperation with Russia because of the Crimean crisis.
June 2014: In eastern Ukraine, rebels shot down a military plane during a night landing maneuver at Luhansk airport. All 49 soldiers on board are killed.
July 2014: A Malaysia Airlines passenger plane is allegedly shot down by a Russian missile over the separatist areas. All 298 people on board die. The West is tightening its sanctions against Russia.
October 2014: The Ukrainian parliament grants special status to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of the peace plan for eastern Ukraine. Their rights to self-government should be strengthened.
November 2014: The eastern Ukrainian separatists have their own parliaments elected for the first time. Kiev condemns this as unconstitutional.
December 2014: NATO wants to permanently have soldiers ready in the east of the alliance. In addition, a rapid reaction force will be set up with up to 40,000 soldiers.
February 2015: The Minsk Agreement provides autonomy for the separatist areas and Ukraine’s control of its border with Russia.
September 2015: Ukraine’s Security Council officially declares neighboring Russia an enemy in a military doctrine.
July 2017: The pro-Russian separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk unilaterally proclaim their new state “Little Russia”.
September 2017: Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the EU enters into force.
January 2018: Kiev classifies the breakaway territories in the east as occupied by Russia.
March 2018: After Nord Stream 1 has been transporting gas from Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany since 2011, work on the controversial Baltic Sea pipeline Nord Stream 2 begins.
November 2018: The Russian Coast Guard detains three Ukrainian Navy ships with 24 sailors on board in the Kerch Strait. Kiev temporarily declares martial law. Elections held in the separatist areas are not recognized internationally.
June 2019: First Russian passports are issued to Ukrainians in separatist-controlled parts of the Donbass region.
April 2021: Moscow is massing troops in the border area with eastern Ukraine and is threatening military intervention. Russia’s military doctrine allows for intervention to protect its citizens abroad.
July 2021: Putin writes in an essay that Russians and Ukrainians are one people. This is read as a claim on the neighbor.
September 2021: The multi-billion dollar Russian prestige project Nord Stream 2 is completed. In the future, the pipeline will deliver 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Germany. In November, the Federal Network Agency temporarily suspended its approval process.
November 2021: Once again, unusually large contingents of troops and modern weapons are concentrated in the Russian border area with Ukraine. The West later speaks of up to 150,000 soldiers.
December 2021: Ukraine accuses Germany of blocking arms deliveries, Berlin maintains its no. Russia demands from NATO again: Ukraine must not become a member.
January 2022: Diplomatic attempts at various levels – such as bilateral US-Russia talks, the NATO-Russia Council or a meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – still do not bring a solution.
February 15: During his meeting with Putin in Moscow, Chancellor Olaf Scholz again threatened far-reaching consequences if Russia took military action against Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Russian parliament (State Duma) is calling on Putin to recognize the Ukrainian separatist areas as independent “people’s republics”.
February 16: NATO defense ministers approve preparations for sending more combat troops to the alliance’s eastern territory. In addition to the previous associations in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, they could be stationed in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
February 19: The federal government “urgently” calls on all Germans to leave Ukraine. Other states do that too.
February 21: Putin recognizes the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states, and the State Duma agrees the following day. In addition, Russian soldiers are to be sent to the eastern Ukrainian separatist areas.
February 22: US and EU and allies impose punitive measures against Russia. For example, Berlin is putting the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea gas pipeline on hold for an indefinite period. The sanctions are aimed, for example, at banks, business people and decision-makers who support Putin’s policies. The President himself is not on the list.
February 23: The Security Council of Ukraine announces a state of emergency for the entire country for 30 days.
Source: Stern
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
