Darell Norton - Russia and Ukraine: A Journey Through the History, Origins, and Causes of the War That is Shaking the World and Impact It Could Have on Our Lives

RUSSIA AND UKRAINE

A Journey Through the History, Origins, and Causes of the War That is Shaking the World and Impact It Could Have on Our Lives

Copyright 2022 _ Darell Norton

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All the information in this book is to be used for informational and educational purposes only. The author will not, in any way, account for any results that stem from the use of the contents herein. While conscious and creative attempts have been made to ensure that all information provided herein is as accurate and helpful as possible, the author is not legally bound to be responsible for any damage caused by the accuracy and the use/misuse of this information.

INTRODUCTION

T he Russian strikes in Ukrainian territories were both expected and unexpected by the global community. The event can be characterized as a straightforward but not so simple situation due to its history and complexities. While it is a war between two adjacent nations, it is slowly becoming a world war, as several sects and countries are taking sides and actions. To an extent, the cause of the attack can be traced to its roots as long-term disputes between the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian sovereign state. But on a broader scale, it has stemmed from past and present, as well as faded and existing involvements from other nations and organizations. In simple terms, it is a conquest between Russia and the West, and on broader terms, it is a rivalry between two superpower groups, as one side with its allies is pro-Western.

Countries like Russia have always been against western customs and practices. Russia existed as a major Soviet state and had its inherited norms passed down from generations. According to analysts, it would take a long while to change ancient and ardently followed practices. The Soviet Ruled as a mighty state, and NATO emerged to equate their authority. NATO had continually made advances towards the Soviet regions, which have been seen as threats towards its autonomy and safety. Slowly, ex-Soviet states turned their backs on their former allies and united with NATO, creating more concerns for the Russian government. In the midst of the ex-Soviet decamps, Russia maintained aggressions on Ukraine and shook its political sovereignty. In the light of this, Ukraine arranged for NATO membership to gain freedom from Russia, which was a more disturbing situation for the Russian leaders, and hence, they resulted in an attack.

CHAPTER 1: The Russian Nation

R ussia, which is officially referred to as the Russian Federation, is a nation that shares territories in two adjacent continents. It occupies the eastern part of Europe and the northern region of Asia. Russia, whose capital city is Moscow, has the most expansive landmass of about 17.1 sqm. While Moscow is its capital city, it is also the largest city, followed by its former capital territory, Saint Petersburg. Russia is the most populous nation in the European continent, with about 147 million people. However, it holds the position of the 8th most populated country globally and has a low population density. Some cities in Russia with at least 1 million residents are Saint Petersburg, Volgograd, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, etc.

About 74% of residents in Russia live in cities. According to statistics, the country has declined in population since the end of the Soviet Era, with a population reduction of about 5.5 million people. Currently, its population increase ratio is almost zero.

The nation's lingua is Russian, the most adopted Slavic tongue. Russia has borders with over 15 countries in both of its resident continents. It is the nation with the highest number of land borders worldwide. Some of its land bordering countries include Norway, Poland, Estonia, China, Georgia, North Korea, Lithuania, Belarus, etc. It also has connections with over 15 seas and three oceans.

The far western region of Russia is close to Kaliningrad which was previously known as Knigsberg. Its most eastern region is Diomid Island which has equal distances of 35 kilometers between Alaska in the United States and Chukotka in Russia. The most southern area is in the Caucasus, along the Azerbaijan border. Talking of the North, its location is on Franz Joseph Land within the Arctic Ocean region. This point is about 570 miles from the North Pole.

Russia's vast landmass has earned it a variety of time zones, leaving it to 11 time zones throughout its federation. Being a diverse nation, it was the principal constituent of the Soviet Union in the 20th century before the union fell in 1992.

Russia is a region filled with plentiful natural resources ranging from oil to natural gas, coal, forests, etc. It has the most extensive reserves of energy and mineral resources and, as a result, is the heaviest producer of oil and natural gas, contributing to about 25% of the world's oil and gas production. Oil and gas were primary sources of finance for the Soviet Union and has remained so for Russia till today. Until the second decade in the 21st century, the Russian Federation has the most significant oil and non-fuel resources reserve globally. This significance remained, even after the inaccessibility of mines in Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Its non-fuel resources include Manganese, Nickel, Tungsten, Gold, Diamond, Iron, Chromium, etc. Although during the Soviet Era, materials like Bauxite, Mercury, and Tungsten were imported. Two-twelfth of the world's entire Iron residues lies in the Kursk Magnetic. Other massive iron residues are in Lola Peninsula, South-Central Siberia, Karelia, and the Distant East. The most extensive copper reserves are found in the Urals and the Kola Peninsula, while Lead and Zinc are in North Ossetia. There was massive exploitation in the Kursk region in the 50s.

Due to Russia's vast size, its forest reserves are the largest, and its lakes take up about 1/4 of fresh water in the world. Siberian forests comprise two-tenth of the world's timber, mostly conifers. The European parts of Russia host its economic activities, producing its coal and gas. Based on studies, the fuel source of the European continent was heavily sapped in the 80s, which made the nation depend on Siberian remains, far away from its industrial center. Russia's natural resources cannot be spoken of without including its raw materials. No doubt, it is one of the wealthiest countries globally, and this is due to its large industrial capacity. Its natural possessions have caused it to be self-dependent on energy and industrial resources.