“Is the Russian occupation of Ukraine an unprovoked war?”

[superadmin]

ONE thing to remember about the Ukraine war is that it didn’t start in February, as many might think. It would be really short-sighted if we believe the war started then.

It started eight years ago in February 2014 during the aftermath of the Maidan Revolution in which a democratically-elected president of Ukraine was deposed with US interference; he managed to escape to Moscow and asked for Russian assistance.

In late 2013, the then-Ukraine Government under former premier Viktor Yanukovych was caught between a rock and hard place.

There was a tussle for influence between Russia and the European Union (EU) when the then Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov asked for €20 bil (US$27 bil) in loans and aid. 

The EU was willing to offer €610 mil (US$838 mil) in loans, but Russia was willing to offer more (i.e. US$15 bil) as well as cheaper gas prices.

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