Russian President Vladimir Putin has heated up the atmosphere on the international stage with the merger of four regions of Ukraine, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhia with Russia.
In a grand event organized in the Kremlin, Putin said that we will defend our territory with all available means and full force. On the other hand, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky committed to acquiring these territories.
Not only this, all the countries of the world including America have expressed their opposition to Putin’s action. This is likely to increase tension in the area again.
At present, fierce fighting continues in all four adjacent areas near Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhia. Russian forces opened fire on a civilian convoy in Zaporizhia, killing 30. Russia has blamed Ukraine for this.
At the same time, Ukraine has described the nuclear plant as a big threat to Russia. Heavy fighting continues around the main city of Lyman in the Donetsk region, where Ukrainian forces have surrounded a large number of Russian troops.
Putin said clearly that the citizens of the territories under his control would be part of Russia. Russia will defend these areas at all costs.
There has also been a warning of the indirect use of tactical nuclear weapons from Russia. Putin has a long history of using force to justify his actions. According to the news agency Reuters report, Mark Galeotti, who has written 24 books on Russia and its politics, believes that Putin is a man who can do anything.
At present, the world seems to be divided into two or three camps due to the Russia-Ukraine standoff. According to Precious Chatterjee-Doody, an expert in international diplomacy, China, Russia and Iran strengthened this perception at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting.
At the same time, the mobilization in favour of America has also strengthened. This division was also clearly visible in the United Nations Security Council and the US and Albania presented a condemnation motion against the Russian move. However, it was cancelled due to Russia’s veto.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has called the Russian move illegal, while French President Emmanuel Macron says Putin’s move is a serious violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. On the other hand, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called this move a violation of the United Nations Charter. All 27 EU member states have also said they will not accept the referendum.
No threat of nuclear attack Foreign Minister Antony Blinken said, however, that President Putin is making exaggerated claims. But there is no indication that Russia is going to take this step. He called Putin’s statements the extent of negligence.
The news agency Reuters has said in its report that after the third World War, this is the biggest incident in Europe to make the territories of any other country its part. Western countries are furious with Russia’s move.
The US has announced new sanctions against Putin’s allies. Zelensky, on the other hand, has signed an application to join NATO. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says NATO is reiterating its support for Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.
Even though the US is saying that the Russian-Ukraine war is not likely to turn into a nuclear war, unknown fears are being felt clearly in Europe. Concerns are evident among people about the fighting around Ukraine’s Zaporizhia nuclear plant.
Poland has asked regional fire departments to distribute iodine tablets to people in the event of radioactive exposure, Reuters news agency reported. Iodine is considered an excellent form of defence in case of radioactive exposure.
