Monday, August 22, 2022

Russia - Ukraine War - The Elusive Calm

 Russia - Ukraine War - The Elusive Calm


Russia-Ukraine war rages on with no solution in sight since February 24. Seems like it is turning out to be a perenniel conflict.It was on February 24, Russia launched a ''Special Military Operation'' against Ukraine.Tanks rolled in,guns roared,shells and bombs rained on Ukraine resulting in total devastation of that prosperous, beautiful comparatively peaceful nation. Hundreds of thousands perished, millions fled for lives to the neighbouring countries, buildings razed to the ground,tens of thousands maimed for life, majority of them innocent civilians.More than  twenty thousand Russian troops and double the number of Ukrainian troops also lost their lives.U.S and European Nations announced crippling sanctions on Russia, and provided billions of dollars worth sophisticated arms and ammunition to Ukraine and , financial assistance to help Ukraine pull out of the already battered economy.Still the war rages on more vigorously, aggressively.August 24 marks sixth month of the war.Neither U.S president Joe Biden nor any leader of his stature seems to take up the initiative to bring Russian President Putin and Ukraine Supremo around a table and broker a deal to put an end to the war in a cordial atmosphere to the satisfaction of both the warring leaders.It is high time the deadly war game be put an end to. Rather than making Ukraine a pawn in the chess board of Super Power rivalry for teaching Russia a lesson.The aftermaths of the war are felt across the nations around the world especially the poorer and developing countries.Even the world's number one economy U.S  is also feeling the pinch. Similar is the case of Britain, Germany, France, Italy and a whole lot of nations.Sky-rocketing inflation,fuel shortages, steep hike in prices of essential commodities,rampant poverty resulting in deaths of poor people especially children.Russia and Ukraine are ''the bread-baskets' of the world.Without the movement of food items as a result of the war, the plight of millions across the globe is beyond our wildest of imagination.A peaceful solution of the war at the earliest and lifting Russia and Ukraine out of the abyss of devastation is for the good of us all. Putin was mistaken.Like the easy annexation of Crimea, he was thinking in terms of capturing Ukraine within a week or two.But the Ukranians' nationalistic  fervour and do or die attitude proved an obstacle to him.Since Feb 24 the Ukrainians continue to be formidable.