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The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has complex historical, geopolitical, and security-related causes. While various explanations have been offered, here are some of the key reasons that help explain why Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, decided to launch the invasion:

1. NATO Expansion

One of Russia's primary justifications for its actions was the eastward expansion of NATO, the Western military alliance. Since the end of the Cold War, several former Soviet republics and Eastern European countries have joined NATO. Russia views NATO’s expansion as a threat to its security, especially when countries close to its borders, like Ukraine, express interest in joining. Moscow has long been concerned about NATO forces and infrastructure moving closer to its territory.

Ukraine’s increasing cooperation with NATO and its growing alignment with the West were seen as unacceptable by Russia, which viewed Ukraine as part of its traditional sphere of influence. While Ukraine had not formally joined NATO, its aspirations to do so played a significant role in Russia's decision to act.

2. Ukraine’s Pro-Western Shift

Since 2014, after the Euromaidan protests that led to the ousting of the pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine has leaned increasingly toward Western Europe and away from Russia. Ukraine's new government, which promoted democratic reforms, anti-corruption measures, and closer ties with the European Union and NATO, represented a significant geopolitical shift.

Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for separatist movements in eastern Ukraine (in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions) were part of its response to Ukraine’s pro-Western trajectory. The full-scale invasion in 2022 can be seen as an escalation of Russia's efforts to prevent Ukraine from further integrating with the West.

3. Historical and Cultural Ties

Putin has repeatedly expressed the belief that Ukrainians and Russians are “one people” with deep historical, cultural, and religious ties. He has challenged the legitimacy of Ukraine as a fully independent state, often pointing to its shared history with Russia, particularly during the period of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. In a lengthy speech before the invasion, Putin questioned Ukraine's sovereignty, suggesting that Ukraine should not exist as a separate nation but be part of a broader Russian-led "Russian world."

This perspective has informed Russia’s desire to keep Ukraine within its sphere of influence, with Putin framing the invasion as a means of "reuniting" historically linked territories.

4. Strategic and Security Concerns

Ukraine holds strategic importance to Russia due to its location. Having a stable, friendly, and potentially neutral Ukraine is seen by Moscow as essential to its own security and influence in Eastern Europe. Additionally, Ukraine serves as a buffer between Russia and NATO countries like Poland and the Baltic states.

By invading Ukraine, Russia may have been attempting to prevent the country from becoming a NATO member and to reassert control over a region it views as crucial to its national security.

5. Putin’s Vision of Russia’s Global Role

Putin’s actions are also driven by his vision of Russia as a major global power that should have a decisive influence over its neighbors. Many analysts believe that the invasion is part of a broader effort by Putin to restore Russia's influence and challenge what he sees as Western dominance, particularly in regions Russia considers vital to its interests.

From this perspective, the war can be seen as an effort to reassert Russian power and to push back against what Moscow views as Western encroachment, which has weakened Russia’s position on the global stage since the end of the Cold War.

6. Domestic Factors

There are also potential internal factors that could have influenced Putin's decision. As Russia's economy faced challenges and internal dissent grew, particularly with protests against corruption and the government, some analysts argue that Putin sought to rally domestic support by appealing to nationalism and focusing attention on an external "enemy." This is a tactic that has been used by authoritarian leaders to distract from internal problems and unify the population around the leadership.

7. The Minsk Agreements and Frozen Conflict

The Minsk agreements were peace accords signed in 2014 and 2015 in an effort to stop the fighting between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia felt that Ukraine had not implemented key aspects of these agreements, particularly granting greater autonomy to the separatist regions. Tensions over the failure to fully implement the Minsk agreements were part of the lead-up to the 2022 invasion, with Russia accusing Ukraine of not honoring its commitments and Ukraine accusing Russia of violating the ceasefire.

Conclusion

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was driven by a combination of geopolitical, security, historical, and domestic factors. While Russia has framed its actions as defensive, particularly in relation to NATO expansion and Ukraine's political shift toward the West, the invasion has been widely condemned as a violation of international law and Ukraine's sovereignty. The full-scale war has had devastating consequences for both countries, with ongoing human suffering, regional instability, and significant global ramifications.