Russia Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====Invasion of Ukraine==== In early 2014, following [[Revolution of Dignity|a revolution]] in Ukraine, Russia [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|occupied and annexed]] Crimea from neighbouring Ukraine following a [[2014 Crimean status referendum|disputed referendum]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Yekelchyk |first=Serhy |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1190722543 |title=Ukraine: What Everyone Needs to Know |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-19-753213-3 |edition=2nd |location=New York |page=117 |oclc=1190722543}}</ref> then used Russian mercenaries and military forces, supported by local separatist militias, to start a [[War in Donbas|war in the Donbas region]] of eastern Ukraine where most of the inhabitants wanted to stay in Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Plokhy |first=Serhii |title=The Russo-Ukrainian war: the return of history |date=2023 |publisher=WW Norton |isbn=978-1-324-05119-0 |location=New York, NY |pages=123β26}}</ref> In a major escalation of the conflict, Russia launched a full-scale [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|invasion of Ukraine]] on 24 February 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/24/putin-orders-military-operations-in-eastern-ukraine-as-un-meets|title=Russian forces launch full-scale invasion of Ukraine|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|date=24 February 2022|access-date=5 April 2022|archive-date=24 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224053027/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/24/putin-orders-military-operations-in-eastern-ukraine-as-un-meets|url-status=live}}</ref> The invasion marked the largest [[conventional warfare|conventional war]] in Europe since World War II,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Herb |first1=Jeremy |last2=Starr |first2=Barbara |author-link2=Barbara Starr |last3=Kaufman |first3=Ellie |date=24 February 2022 |title=US orders 7,000 more troops to Europe following Russia's invasion of Ukraine |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/02/24/politics/us-military-ukraine-russia/index.html |access-date=27 February 2022 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227052443/https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/24/politics/us-military-ukraine-russia/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and was met with [[Reactions to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|international condemnation]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/02/united-nations-russia-ukraine-vote|title=UN votes to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calls for withdrawal|work=[[The Guardian]]|last=Borger|first=Julian|location=[[Washington, D.C.]]|date=2 March 2022|access-date=5 April 2022|archive-date=2 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220302171009/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/02/united-nations-russia-ukraine-vote|url-status=live}}</ref> as well as [[International sanctions during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|expanded sanctions]] against Russia.<ref name="Walsh-2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/22968949/russia-sanctions-swift-economy-mcdonalds|title=The unprecedented American sanctions on Russia, explained|work=[[Vox (website)|Vox]]|date=9 March 2022|last=Walsh|first=Ben|access-date=31 March 2022|archive-date=11 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411000846/https://www.vox.com/22968949/russia-sanctions-swift-economy-mcdonalds|url-status=live}}</ref> As a result, Russia was expelled from the [[Council of Europe]] in March,<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/the-russian-federation-is-excluded-from-the-council-of-europe |title=The Russian Federation is excluded from the Council of Europe |publisher=Council of Europe |date=16 March 2022 |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-date=10 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510214508/https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/the-russian-federation-is-excluded-from-the-council-of-europe |url-status=live }}</ref> and was suspended from the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]] in April.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115782 |title=UN General Assembly votes to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council |website=United Nations |date=7 April 2022 |access-date=18 June 2022 |archive-date=7 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407164712/https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1115782 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September, following successful Ukrainian counteroffensives,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-announces-partial-mobilization-russian-military-ukraine-war-rcna48585|title=Putin mobilizes more troops for Ukraine, threatens nuclear retaliation and backs annexation of Russian-occupied land|website=[[NBC News]]|date=21 September 2022|access-date=4 April 2023|archive-date=12 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312142451/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-announces-partial-mobilization-russian-military-ukraine-war-rcna48585|url-status=live}}</ref> Putin announced a "[[2022 Russian mobilization|partial mobilisation]]", Russia's first mobilisation since World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/putin-announces-partial-mobilisation-in-russia-in-escalation-of-ukraine-war|title=Putin announces partial mobilisation and threatens nuclear retaliation in escalation of Ukraine war|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=21 September 2022|access-date=4 April 2023|archive-date=14 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230114202406/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/putin-announces-partial-mobilisation-in-russia-in-escalation-of-ukraine-war|url-status=live}}</ref> By the end of September, Putin proclaimed the [[Annexation of southeastern Ukraine by the Russian Federation|annexation of four Ukrainian regions]], the largest annexation in Europe since World War II.<ref name="Landay-2022">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-host-kremlin-ceremony-annexing-parts-ukraine-2022-09-29/ |title=Defiant Putin proclaims Ukrainian annexation as military setback looms |website=[[Reuters]] |date=30 September 2022 |access-date=6 October 2022 |last=Landay |first=Jonathan |archive-date=6 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006084106/https://www.reuters.com/world/putin-host-kremlin-ceremony-annexing-parts-ukraine-2022-09-29/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Putin and Russian-installed leaders signed treaties of accession, internationally unrecognized and widely [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4|denounced as illegal]], despite the fact that Russian forces have been unable to fully occupy any of the four regions.<ref name="Landay-2022" /> A number of supranational and national parliaments passed resolutions declaring Russia to be a [[state sponsor of terrorism]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/european-lawmakers-declare-russia-state-sponsor-terrorism-2022-11-23/|title=European Parliament declares Russia a state sponsor of terrorism|website=[[Reuters]]|date=23 November 2022|access-date=4 April 2023|archive-date=23 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123121114/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/european-lawmakers-declare-russia-state-sponsor-terrorism-2022-11-23/|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition, Russia was declared a terrorist state by Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.<ref>{{cite web | last=Fiedler | first=Tristan | title=Estonian parliament declares Russia a terrorist state | website=POLITICO | date=18 October 2022 | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/as-the-third-country-to-estonia-declares-russia-a-terrorist-state/ | access-date=1 June 2023 | archive-date=19 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221119101230/https://www.politico.eu/article/as-the-third-country-to-estonia-declares-russia-a-terrorist-state/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Hundreds of thousands are [[Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War|estimated to have been killed]] as a result of the invasion.<ref>{{cite news |title='Terrible toll': Russia's invasion of Ukraine in numbers |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/terrible-toll-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-in-numbers/ |work=[[Euractiv]] |date=14 February 2023 |access-date=12 March 2023 |archive-date=12 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230712061818/https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/terrible-toll-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-in-numbers/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hussain |first1=Murtaza |title=The War in Ukraine Is Just Getting Started |url=https://theintercept.com/2023/03/09/ukraine-war-russia-iran-iraq/ |work=The Intercept |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=12 March 2023 |archive-date=18 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230518234805/https://theintercept.com/2023/03/09/ukraine-war-russia-iran-iraq/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Troop Deaths and Injuries in Ukraine War Near 500,000, U.S. Officials Say |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/18/us/politics/ukraine-russia-war-casualties.html |work=The New York Times |date=18 August 2023 |access-date=30 August 2023 |archive-date=3 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903175102/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/18/us/politics/ukraine-russia-war-casualties.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The war in Ukraine has further exacerbated Russia's [[Demographic crisis of Russia|demographic crisis]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Putin's War Escalation Is Hastening Demographic Crash for Russia |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-18/putin-s-war-escalation-is-hastening-demographic-crash-for-russia |work=Bloomberg |date=18 October 2022 |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=22 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231122045038/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-18/putin-s-war-escalation-is-hastening-demographic-crash-for-russia |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2023, the [[Wagner Group]], a private military contractor fighting for Russia in Ukraine, declared an [[Wagner Group rebellion|open rebellion against the Russian Ministry of Defense]], capturing [[Rostov-on-Don]], before beginning a march on Moscow. However, after negotiations between Wagner and the Belarusian government, the rebellion was called off.<ref>{{cite web | title=Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system | website=AP News | date=7 July 2023 | url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-prigozhin-wagner-mutiny-ukraine-putin-898d750e843aeb105a3c220bb917f606 | access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Rebel Russian mercenaries turn back short of Moscow 'to avoid bloodshed' | website=Reuters | date=24 June 2023 | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wagner-head-suggests-his-mercenaries-headed-moscow-take-army-leadership-2023-06-24/ | access-date=9 July 2023 | archive-date=24 June 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624070212/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wagner-head-suggests-his-mercenaries-headed-moscow-take-army-leadership-2023-06-24/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page