Past Death Toll, Dishonesties of Unjust Russian Aggression Against Ukraine

Russian invasion of Ukraine is becoming an imminent threat.  Russia has been unjustly and violently attacking Ukraine and killing Ukrainians for years now, including while supposed ceasefires were going on.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated, “Russian aggression against Ukraine has left about 9940 people killed and up to 23455 wounded.”  This sobering sentence is part of a Dec. 2019 report from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 10 key points to know about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which is only escalating while feckless leaders like Biden vacillate, pontificate, and ultimately do nothing.

I believe the threat of Russia is underestimated in the Western world.  China is undoubtedly the biggest threat, but then Russia and China are in the process of deepening their military ties, and Russia is very hostile to the US.  It is well not to dismiss Vladimir Putin.  The 2019 report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is an important reminder of how little Russia is to be trusted, and how unscrupulous the Russian government is.  While I understand the arguments that the US should not send troops to Ukraine, we should be providing other kinds of aid (including, I think, weapons—after all, if we can let the terrorist Taliban get a hold of massive amounts of US weaponry, why not legitimate and democratic Ukraine?).  The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized how crucial economic and political pressures from other nations are when exerted on Russia, and these are pressures the US can exert without ever having to send troops to Ukraine.  Here are just a few excerpts from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2019 report:

“Fact 1: Russia planned military aggression against Ukraine in advance. Victory of the revolution of dignity was only a convenient pretext. . .

Fact 2: [R]ussian aggression aimed at destroying [U]kraine as an independent state
Illegal occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol was just the first Russian step aimed at undermining independence and sovereignty of Ukraine. The Kremlin has always been firmly convinced that Russia will never become a world leader without control over Ukraine, meanwhile a democratic and prosperous Ukraine is a threat to the current authoritarian rule in Russia. . .

Fact 3: military aggression is just one element of Russian hybrid warfare against Ukraine
Military aggression is just one element of the Russian hybrid warfare against Ukraine. Other elements encompass:

1) propaganda based on lies and falsifications; 2) trade and economic pressure; 3) energy blockade; 4) terror and intimidation of Ukrainian citizens; 5) cyber attacks; 6) a strong denial of the very fact of war against Ukraine despite large scope of irrefutable evidence; 7) use of pro-Russian forces and satellite states in its own interests; 8) blaming the other side for its own crimes.

Fact 4: courage of [U]krainians and solidarity of the international community stopped Russian invasion. . .Political and economic sanctions are the most effective tool of pressure on the aggressor state [Russia]. . .

Fact 5: [R]ussian aggression has led to dire humanitarian impacts
Russian aggression against Ukraine has left about 9940 people killed and up to 23455 wounded (UN data). This number includes, in particular, 298 passengers of MH17 flight, including 80 children, killed as a result of terrorist attack on 17 July 2014, when the Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down by the Russian servicemen from BUK missile system that had been transferred to the occupied territory of Donbas from the Russian Federation.

About 1.584.000 residents of Crimea and Donbas are now internally displaced persons after being compelled to leave their homes.

As of today Russia continues to illegally occupy Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea (26 081 km²), the city of Sevastopol (864 km²), certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (16799 km²) — in total 43744 km² or 7,2% of the territory of Ukraine. . .

Fact 6: Russia violates the Minsk agreements on a regular basis. . .At least 366 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 429 were wounded there while leaving the city in the so-called “green corridor” under the guarantees of commanders of Russian troops. . .Debaltseve is one of the most telling examples of how Russia violates the Minsk Agreements. Combined Russian-terrorist forces attacked and seized the city and the outskirts on 16–18 February 2015, immediately after the Minsk Package of measures, establishing the comprehensive ceasefire since 15 February, had been signed.

Fact 7: by launching military aggression against Ukraine, Russia violated fundamental norms and principles of international law, bilateral and multilateral agreements. . .

Fact 8: constant inflow of Russian troops and weaponry is the main obstacle to peace in Donbas. . .

Fact 9: military aggression and hybrid warfare is Russia's standard practice
Russia’s aggressive policy targets not only Ukraine. Russia violated territorial integrity of Moldova and Georgia, announced its territorial claims and the willingness to “protect” Russian-speaking population in the Baltic States. Russia supports Eurosceptic and radical movements in Europe. . .

Fact 10: [R]ussian aggression can be stopped only by stepping up pressure on Kremlin
Political and economic sanctions were imposed on Russia in response to its aggression against Ukraine, therefore, stopping Russian military aggression against Ukraine and the reinstatement of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity may be the only reason for their cancellation.”

Meanwhile this Neville Chamberlain-type disgrace:

(Image courtesy of The Daily Signal.)