{"id":2032843,"date":"2023-09-15T05:51:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T09:51:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-year-and-a-half-in-the-war-in-ukraine-is-at-a-crossroads\/"},"modified":"2023-09-15T05:54:08","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T09:54:08","slug":"a-year-and-a-half-in-the-war-in-ukraine-is-at-a-crossroads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-year-and-a-half-in-the-war-in-ukraine-is-at-a-crossroads\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ukrainian war reaches a turning point after 18 months."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fa-year-and-a-half-in-the-war-in-ukraine-is-at-a-crossroads%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2032843&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Putin&#8217;s Ongoing War in Ukraine:\u2062 A Crossroads<\/h2>\n<p>It has been a year and a half since Vladimir Putin initiated \u200dhis planned three-day &#8220;special military operation&#8221; to overthrow Ukraine&#8217;s government and assert control over \u2064the country. However, this war shows no signs of ending anytime soon. Putin&#8217;s strategy is\u200d to dig in, hold \u2063on, and wait for \u200dthe world to \u2064lose\u200b interest in \u2064supporting Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2064U.S. and NATO have pledged to support Ukraine &#8220;as long as it takes,&#8221; but \u200bUkrainian \u2062President Volodymyr Zelensky is concerned. He senses a waning resolve from the West, just as Putin had hoped for. Zelensky can see \u2062it in the eyes of his partners when they insist they will always stand with Ukraine, but he knows they\u200b are not fully committed.<\/p>\n<p>In the \u200cU.S. Congress, there is bipartisan support \u200dfor \u2062Ukraine, but hard-right House Republicans \u2062are pushing to \u2062cut $24 billion in military and economic aid requested by President Joe Biden. Zelensky had\u2064 hoped for a\u2062 decisive victory \u2062over Russian troops to rally support and boost \u200dmorale, but the\u2063 delay in receiving necessary weapons has hindered progress.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. had \u2063worked closely with Ukraine&#8217;s military leaders \u2064to plan a summer \u200dcounteroffensive, providing\u200d intelligence and training to Ukrainian forces. \u200dHowever, when Ukraine attempted to breach Russian lines, they suffered heavy casualties. The lack of close air support and modern weaponry left them vulnerable to Russia&#8217;s superior artillery and air power.<\/p>\n<p>Disenchanted with the Western approach to war, Ukraine shifted to more cautious tactics, making modest gains but\u200b progress has been slower than anticipated. Critics have\u2063 second-guessed Ukrainian commanders, but they defend their strategy and challenge\u200b critics to experience the realities of war firsthand.<\/p>\n<p>The coming months\u2062 will be crucial as Ukraine \u2064faces challenging weather conditions that will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-year-and-a-half-in-the-war-in-ukraine-is-at-a-crossroads\/\" title=\"The Ukrainian war reaches a turning point after 18 months.\">make maneuver warfare increasingly difficult<\/a>. Zelensky knows he cannot afford to lose momentum \u200cand must push Russia off every inch of Ukrainian territory. He believes Putin cannot be trusted to abide by any peace \u200dagreement.<\/p>\n<p>The toll of the war has been devastating, with large areas of Ukraine reduced \u200bto rubble and casualties on both sides \u200bnearing \u200c500,000. The war will only end when\u2064 one side gives in or\u200c both \u200csides agree to negotiate. However, that time has not yet come.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What were the initial justifications given by Putin for military intervention in Ukraine, and why were these claims widely discredited?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Kraine crisis began in late \u200d2013 when pro-European protests erupted in response to then-President Viktor Yanukovych&#8217;s decision to \u200babandon the \u2063signing of an association agreement with the European Union. These protests eventually led to Yanukovych&#8217;s ousting in February 2014. This change in power destabilized the \u200dcountry and created a power\u2062 vacuum, which\u2064 Putin perceived \u2064as an opportunity to assert\u200d Russian influence in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>Putin&#8217;s \u200bjustifications for military \u200cintervention in \u200cUkraine have varied. Initially, he claimed it was to protect ethnic \u2063Russians\u200b and Russian-speaking populations in the \u200dregion. However, these claims have been widely discredited, as many Russians in Ukraine did \u2063not\u2063 support or request Russian military intervention.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200creality, Putin&#8217;s motives are more complex and strategic. Ukraine has long been seen as a significant\u200c piece in Putin&#8217;s\u200b plan to reestablish Russia as\u200d a global power. By \u2063bringing Ukraine back under\u200b Russian control, Putin \u2062aims to strengthen Russia&#8217;s influence over its former Soviet neighbors and establish \u200ca buffer zone between Russia and NATO countries.<\/p>\n<p>Since the beginning of \u200cthe conflict, the Ukrainian government has been fighting against pro-Russian separatists in the Eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. \u2064These separatists have received significant \u2064support from Russia, including military equipment, supplies,\u2064 and even troops. Despite international condemnation\u2064 and economic sanctions, Putin has continued to provide support to\u200b the\u2063 separatists,\u200d fueling the ongoing conflict.<\/p>\n<p>The Ukrainian military has shown\u200b remarkable\u2062 resilience and determination in their fight against the separatists. They have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/taliban-surges-as-u-s-withdraws-from-afghanistan\/\" title=\"Taliban surges as U.S. withdraws from Afghanistan\">made significant gains<\/a> and managed \u200dto regain control over several strategic \u200dareas. However, these\u2063 victories \u200bhave\u2064 come at a high\u2063 cost, with thousands of lives lost, \u200cinfrastructure destroyed, and millions displaced.<\/p>\n<p>The conflict has also had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-do-americans-know-about-the-build-back-better-act\/\" title=\"What Do Americans Know About The Build Back Better Act?\">severe economic consequences<\/a> for both Ukraine and Russia. The Ukrainian economy has \u2062been in shambles,\u200b in large part\u200c due to the \u200bconflict. \u200dThe Russian economy has also suffered, primarily \u200bdue to international sanctions\u2063 and the drop in oil prices. \u200cHowever, Putin seems willing to weather these economic storms, as his main objective is political control rather than \u2064economic prosperity.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Eastern Ukraine, Putin\u2064 seems determined to maintain the stalemate. He believes that by waiting for international interest and support to wane, he\u200c can \u2064gradually exert more control over Ukraine without significant resistance. This strategy is not without risks, as it \u200ccontinues to\u200c strain \u200dRussia&#8217;s relations with the West and further isolate the country on the global stage.<\/p>\n<p>At this crossroads, the international community must remain vigilant and committed to\u2062 supporting Ukraine&#8217;s \u2064sovereignty \u200dand \u2062territorial integrity. It is \u200ccrucial to provide humanitarian aid \u2062to those affected by \u2062the \u2064conflict and continue to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-400-companies-have-withdrawn-from-russia\/\" title=\"Over 400 Companies Have Withdrawn From Russia\">apply economic pressure<\/a> on \u2062Russia until it ends its support for\u2062 the separatists.\u2063 Diplomatic \u2063efforts \u2064must \u200dalso be intensified to find a\u200c peaceful resolution to the conflict, ensuring the safety and well-being of\u200c all Ukrainians.<\/p>\n<p>The war in Ukraine is far from over, and its resolution will require the \u200binternational community to \u2062stand united against Putin&#8217;s aggression. This conflict \u200bis not just about Ukraine,\u200b but about the principles of international law, respect for sovereignty, and the preservation of peace and stability \u200cin Europe. It is a test for the global community\u200b to demonstrate \u200cits commitment to \u200bthese principles and to prevent a further escalation of the conflict.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It has been 18 months since Vladimir Putin initiated his planned three-day &#8220;special military operation&#8221; to overthrow Ukraine&#8217;s government and gain control over the former Soviet state. The ongoing war, likely to continue into a third year, stands at a critical juncture. Putin&#8217;s objective is evident: to entrench his position.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2032844,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2032843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2032843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2032843"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2032843\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2032844"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2032843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2032843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2032843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}