3.

HEADLINES FirstNews Issue 815 28 January – 3 February 2022

UKRAINE

Getty
WHAT’S
GOING ON?
TENSIONS are high in Ukraine, after Russia positioned more than
A Ukrainian soldier in a trench
100,000 troops on its border. Why did they do that and what’s going on?
in the east of the country

Why is Ukraine in the news now? Where is Ukraine? But isn’t NATO still in existence?
Late last year, Russia began positioning around Ukraine sits between Russia and the central Yes, very much so. Although it was set up at the
100,000 soldiers on its border with Ukraine. In recent European countries of Romania, Slovakia and start of the Cold War, NATO didn’t break up when the
weeks, more Russian troops have begun gathering in Poland. To the north is Belarus. conflict ended. In fact, it has expanded.
Belarus, which is a Russian ally. Western leaders say In 2004, former Soviet states Estonia, Latvia and
the Russians are sending Navy vessels to the Black Lithuania joined NATO. Russia was not happy about
Sea for a possible invasion of Ukraine’s south coast. this. It meant that an organisation that it considered
an enemy now had troops on its eastern border.
Why is Russia sending troops there? LITHUANIA
RUSSIA The decision to allow former Soviet states to join
Russia says it wants NATO also upset Russia because, back in 1990 and
to know Ukraine 1991, many western leaders assured the Russians
won’t join NATO (the BELARUS they would not look to expand NATO eastward.
North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation). NATO
is an international
UKRAINE
POLAND
organisation which
guarantees the

Getty
freedom of its SLOVAKIA MO
L
member countries.
D
OV
A

Russian president, CRIMEA

HUNGARY
Vladimir Putin, thinks
that if Ukraine joins, it ROMANIA
will give the USA and
BLACK SEA
Vladimir Putin
its allies (supporters)
too much power right next to their borders. Russia
has also demanded NATO removes all troops from
Bulgaria and Romania. From 1919 until 1991, Ukraine was part of the Soviet
NATO members and others are against the build-up Union (also known as the Union of Soviet Socialist
of troops and any invasion of Ukraine. They argue Republics – USSR). This was a giant country formed
that Ukraine should be free to do what it wants and after the Russian Revolution began in 1917. In total,
Russia shouldn’t interfere. Western leaders say if it was made up of 15 states. All of them became
Ukraine wants to join NATO, it should be free to do so. independent when the Soviet Union collapsed in
NATO has responded to what it calls “Russian 1991. These former Soviet states include Lithuania,
Latvia, Estonia and Kazakhstan. What happened to Ukraine after the
aggression” by moving troops, fighter jets and ships
to its eastern borders. Russia was the biggest power inside the Soviet Union. Cold War?
Many Russians lived and worked in other Soviet Since independence after the collapse of the
Are world leaders trying to resolve countries. There are still large Russian communities in Soviet Union, Ukraine has mostly been quite friendly
the crisis? many of these countries, including Ukraine. towards Russia. But some Ukrainians want to be
closer to the European Union and to join NATO.
Yes. There are talks between Russia, the USA and
other countries to try to
What was the Cold War? When an uprising in early 2014 forced the pro-
stop any war. The Soviet Union was very powerful. After the Russian president of Ukraine to quit, it seemed the
US President Joe Biden Second World War, another global conflict began, country might change direction and become very
has held talks with known as the Cold War. But this wasn’t a normal war. pro-Western. Putin acted fast, and sent in Russian
Russian leader Vladimir The main countries involved didn’t fight each other, soldiers to take control of Crimea. This region
Putin. but there was always tension because both sides of southern Ukraine used to be part of Russia. It
feared the other would try to invade them or, worse, remains under Russian control today.
It’s thought that, if a
launch a nuclear war and wipe them out. Russia also sent its troops to support pro-Russian
Russian invasion of
Ukraine does take The Cold War saw the Soviet Union and many rebel fighters in their war against Ukrainian
place, NATO will not eastern European countries, like Poland and government forces in the eastern part of Ukraine.
respond with direct Hungary, pitted against NATO which included the This conflict, which began in 2014, is ongoing.
military support. But USA, Canada, UK, and other western European There are many Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine
Russia is likely to face countries, like France and West Germany. who prefer to be close to Russia, not the West. But
economic punishments The Cold War ended in 1991, when the Soviet Union western leaders say that is no excuse for Russia to
Joe Biden
from other countries. collapsed. wade in and support a war.