The Russian invasion of Ukraine has shown the world that the age of great power rivalry in spheres of influence is far from being over. The conflict is more of a proxy war between the US and its NATO allies against a resurgent Russia.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 had long been coming since the fall of the Kremlin-aligned Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, in 2014. Yanukovych’s fall signalled another victorious ‘colour revolution’. Unlike in other colour revolutions in the world, Russia would not countenance a regime with increased alliance with the West on its borders. The fall of Yanukovych signalled a drift by Ukraine to align more with western Europe against Russia. Russian president, Vladimir Putin’s hatred of this situation was shown by his use of the words, ‘Neo-Nazis, Russophobes and anti-Semites’ in describing the leadership that has presided over Ukraine since the 2014 uprising. Putin’s reaction was swift as he quickly annexed the strategic peninsula of Crimea and gave subtle support to pro-Russian separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk. Eight years later, the failure by the US and its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies to understand the abhorrence of Russia to having NATO on its doorstep has seen the mostly cold crisis erupting into a full-blown war.
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