Editing 2022 Russo-Ukranian conflict

The '''2022 Russo-Ukranian conflict''' is an on-going conflict between the [[Russian Federation]] and [[Ukraine]], which began with Russian military operations in 24 February 2022.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-02-24|title=Russia invades Ukraine: Political, military leaders' reactions|url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/leaders-key-quotes-after-russia-invades-ukraine-2022-02-24/|newspaper=Reuters|retrieved=2022-03-10}}</ref> 

In 2014, the US installed a pro-Western coup government<ref>{{News citation|title=How and Why the US Government Perpetrated the 2014 Coup in Ukraine|url=https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/06/03/how-why-us-government-perpetrated-2014-coup-ukraine/}}</ref> which resulted in the rise of neo-nazism.<ref>{{News citation|date=2018-03-19|title=Commentary: Ukraine’s neo-Nazi problem|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cohen-ukraine-commentary-idUSKBN1GV2TY}}</ref> (so much so that the Ukrainian army includes a neo-nazi battalion, the [[Azov Battalion]]) This right-wing pro-West government maintained hostilities towards ethnic Russians in the Donbass region of Ukraine.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-02-17|title=Ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine say attacked by govt. forces|url=https://parstoday.com/en/news/world-i166324-ethnic_russians_in_eastern_ukraine_say_attacked_by_govt._forces}}</ref> These hostilities led to the separatist movements to establish the [[Luhansk People's Republic]] and the [[Donetsk People's Republic]]. 

== Timeline ==

=== Background ===
In 1990, on a meeting between [[United States of America|United States]] secretary of state James Baker and [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], the US official guaranteed that "not an inch of NATO’s present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction."<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Svetlana Savranskaya & Tom Blanton|date=2017-12-12|title=NATO expansion: what Gorbachev heard|url=https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early|newspaper=National Security Archive}}</ref>

While Russia was distracted with the Sochi Olympics, the US supported the Maidan coup which overthrew recently re-elected [[Victor Yanukovych]]. In response to this coup, Crimeans voted overwhelmingly in favor of seceding from Ukraine and joining into the Russian Federation.<ref>{{News citation|title=Crimeans vote overwhelmingly to secede from Ukraine, join Russia|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crimeans-vote-overwhelmingly-to-secede-from-ukraine-join-russia/}}</ref>

Additionally, Donetsk and Luhansk seceded too. These breakaway republics had been locked in war with the Ukrainian army, which included outright nazi regiments like the Azov battalion.

[[Russell Bentley]] predicted that US president [[Joe Biden]] was seeking to reignite a dirty war in Ukraine with his support for the Nazi fanatics.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Russell Bentley]]|date=2021-10-12|title=Is Biden Looking to Reignite a Dirty War in Ukraine? Recent Visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Raises Concerns|url=https://covertactionmagazine.com/2021/11/12/is-biden-looking-to-reignite-a-dirty-war-in-ukraine-recent-visit-by-u-s-defense-secretary-lloyd-austin-raises-concerns/|newspaper=[[CovertAction Magazine]]}}</ref>

Islamist militants from the terrorist group Hyatt Tahrir al-Sham are joining alongside the neo-Nazi fighters in Ukraine to fight against Russia.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-03-08|title=450 Arab and foreign extremists from Idlib arrive in Ukraine|url=https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/450-arab-and-foreign-extremists-from-idlib-arrive-in-ukraine}}</ref> This is reminiscent of the original task of the CIA-backed Islamist militants who were tasked with fighting against the USSR during [[Operation Cyclone]]. 

=== Crisis ===
Tensions rose sharply in 2021 when the Brussels summit of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) reiterated that Ukraine would become aligned with NATO,<ref>{{News citation|date=2021-04-14|title=Brussels Summit Communiqué|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_185000.htm|newspaper=NATO|quote=We reiterate the decision made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance with the Membership Action Plan (MAP) as an integral part of the process; we reaffirm all elements of that decision, as well as subsequent decisions, including that each partner will be judged on its own merits.}}</ref> sparking outrage from Russian officials who considered the expansion of NATO a threat of their national security.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-01-16|title=NATO expansion one of main threats to Russia’s national security - ambassador|url=https://tass.com/russia/1388653|newspaper=Russian News Agency TASS|retrieved=2022-01-24|quote="After the collapse of the USSR, the security situation in Europe deteriorated sharply. Five ‘waves’ of NATO expansion have brought the Alliance States forces closer to our borders," [the Russian ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov] stated.<br><br>"NATO is constantly building up its offensive potential, demonstrating military force along the perimeter of the Russian territory. [...]}}</ref> Russia began to build up troops closer to their borders, demanding that NATO stop its expansion towards Russia.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-02-18|title=West promised not to expand NATO|url=https://www.rt.com/news/549921-nato-expansion-russia-document/|newspaper=[[RT (TV Network)|RT]]}}</ref>

The [[bourgeois media]] of the [[United States of America|United States]] has been hypocritically feigning support for the citizens of Ukraine while completely disregarding the humanity of those who suffer under their own heinous wars.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Richard Medhurst]]|title=Hypocrisy of the West Is Unbelievable" {{!}} Richard Medhurst on Ukraine|url=https://youtu.be/lwkMBge05IA}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|journalist=Daniel McAdams|date=2022-02-25|title=Washington's Crocodile Tears Over Ukraine's Destruction|url=http://ronpaulinstitute.org/archives/featured-articles/2022/february/25/washingtons-crocodile-tears-over-ukraines-destruction/|newspaper=Ron Paul Institute}}</ref>

Former UN inspector [[Scott Ritter]] has said that NATO is too weak to face Russia.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Richard Medhurst]]|date=2022-02-24|title=NATO Too Weak to Face Russia: Scott Ritter on Russian Offensive|url=https://youtu.be/3GkmdCaBECs}}</ref>

Germany violated its recent pattern of neutrality by sending weapons to Ukraine.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Richard Medhurst]]|date=2022-03-02|title=Germany Sends Weapons to Ukraine, Breaks with Neutrality|url=https://www.rokfin.com/post/76665?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=Campaign&utm_campaign=New+Post+Email|newspaper=[[Rokfin]]}}</ref>

During diplomatic talks, Ukraine and Russia have agreed upon humanitarian corridors to allow displaced persons to flee war zones safely.<ref>{{News citation|title=Ukraine says talks with Russia agreed on humanitarian corridors|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-talks-with-russia-agreed-humanitarian-corridors-2022-03-03/|newspaper=Reuters}}</ref>

=== Reactions ===
All major [[Imperialism|imperialist]] countries, such as [[United States of America|United States]], [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|United Kingdom]], [[Canada]], [[Japan]], and most [[European Union]] countries sanctioned since Russia began their military operations on February 24,<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Al Jazeera Staff|date=2022-03-03|title=List of sanctions against Russia after it invaded Ukraine|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/25/list-of-sanctions-on-russia-after-invasion|newspaper=[[Al Jazeera]]|retrieved=2022-03-08}}</ref> and as a result, it became the most sanctioned economy in the world.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Nick Wadhams|date=2022-03-07|title=Russia is now the world's most-sanctioned nation|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-07/russia-surges-past-iran-to-become-world-s-most-sanctioned-nation|retrieved=2022-03-09}}</ref> In March 7th, twenty Russian [[Bourgeoisie|capitalists]] were also sanctioned by Japan.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-03-07|title=Japan sanctions 20 more Russian businessmen, officials — MFA|url=https://tass.com/world/1418497|newspaper=Russian News Agency TASS|retrieved=2022-03-10}}</ref> The Russian government compiled a list of countries who have taken hostile actions against the country.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-03-07|title=Russian government approves list of unfriendly countries and territories|url=https://tass.com/politics/1418197|newspaper=Russian News Agency TASS}}</ref> 

The [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation]] has expressed support for Putin's aims to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine, while also calling for the strengthening of local self-government.<ref>{{News citation|date=2022-03-02|title=The Response to External Pressure Must Be a Radical Change of International Policy|url=https://cprf.ru/2022/03/the-response-to-external-pressure-must-be-a-radical-change-of-international-policy/}}</ref>

The [[Party for Socialism and Liberation]] in the United States has made a statement describing how the intervention was the result of NATO provocations against Russia.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Party for Socialism and Liberation|date=2022-02-24|title=PSL Statement on Russia’s Military Intervention in Ukraine|url=https://telegra.ph/PSL-Statement-on-Russias-Military-Intervention-in-Ukraine-02-25|newspaper=Liberation News}}</ref>

== Information warfare ==

=== Censorship ===
In response to the crisis, Western governments and corporations have been actively censoring voices that promote alternative narratives, notably those emerging from Russia or Russia-aligned states. Reddit has banned links to Russian media.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Todd Spangler|date=2022-03-03|title=Reddit Bans Links to Russian State Media Across Entire Site|url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/reddit-bans-links-to-russian-state-media-1235195612/|newspaper=Variety}}</ref>

=== Propaganda ===
The US government has been briefing TikTok influencers to promote the NATO / US narrative.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Sara Cook|date=2022-03-11|title=White House briefs social media influencers on Ukraine crisis|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-tiktok-white-house/|newspaper=CBS News}}</ref><ref>{{News citation|journalist=[[Richard Medhurst]]|date=2022-03-12|title=CRINGE! White House Hires TikTokers to Spread Anti-Russian Propaganda|url=https://youtu.be/Qs7FjpeaXuE}}</ref>

== References ==
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