- Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 because it saw Ukraine’s growing closeness to the West—especially NATO—as a major security threat. After the Soviet Union collapsed, many Eastern European countries joined NATO, and Russia feared Ukraine would be next, which would place Western military forces directly on its border.
- Moscow also wanted to maintain influence over Ukraine, which had increasingly aligned itself with Europe and the United States after the 2014 revolution.
- The earlier conflicts in Crimea and the Donbas region further deepened tensions, with Russia claiming (incorrectly, according to international observers) that it needed to protect Russian-speaking people there.
- Putin also believes historically that Ukraine and Russia are “one people,” and that Ukraine’s independence was a geopolitical mistake, shaping his desire to reassert control.
- Additionally, a strong, Western-armed Ukraine was seen by Russia as a strategic challenge, and domestic political factors—such as nationalism and Putin’s desire to strengthen his legacy—also contributed to the decision to invade.
- The areas of Ukraine such as Donbas annexed by Russia are also very rich in Natural resources and as per an estimate Russia has acquired resources worth 12.5 trillion dollars.