The war in Ukraine has been going on for the second year now, and a UN vote has demanded that Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine, and world leaders have been invited to increase aid to Ukraine, writes Reuters.
As fierce fighting continues in eastern and western Ukraine, allies around the world have shown their support for the Ukrainians’ fighting spirit and courage. In Paris, the Eiffel Tower was illuminated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag, while in London, on the eve of the war anniversary, people gathered with Ukrainian flags.
On Thursday, the 23rd of February, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution with a significant majority of votes, which requires Russia to stop hostilities and withdraw its troops.
Photo: BNN141 countries voted in favor of the resolution and 32 abstained. Six countries joined Russia in voting against – Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, and Syria. Russia’s ally China did not participate in the vote.
Photo: BNNDmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s deputy representative to the UN, called the vote «useless». Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the vote, writing on Twitter: «The resolution shows the world’s strong support for Ukraine.»
Ukraine’s military has reported increased Russian activity in the country’s east and south, with at least 25 towns and villages near the Russian border suffering from shelling.
On the 24th of February, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine to seize Kyiv and overthrow the pro-European government, but his plans were thwarted by fierce resistance and military failures by the Russian army.
The war has largely devolved into trench warfare, with heavy losses on both sides. Certain US and Western officials estimate that there could be around 200 thousand dead and wounded on the Russian side. It is impossible to determine the exact number of casualties.
Millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes to escape the war. Ukraine and Western countries have accused Russia of committing war crimes, but Moscow denies that it deliberately threatens civilians.
The war has also had an impact on the world economy, and international relations have experienced a freeze that has not been seen since the Cold War.
Zelensky insists that the war can only end when Russia fully withdraws from Ukrainian territory, so there is little hope for peace talks. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told Reuters: «We don’t know when the war will end. But what we do know is that when the war ends, we need to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself. We need to prevent Russia from chipping away at European security.»
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