February 24, 2022, was a day which changed the dynamics of the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine as war became a reality. The conflict between these countries was not a new development and had been going on since 2014, however, Ukraine was completely blindsided by this sudden and deliberate action of invasion. Ukraine struggled to keep its people safe as Russia broke and continues to break the commonly accepted ‘rules of war’ by bombing civilian areas and hospitals, along with other criminal tactics. These atrocities against Ukraine have been covered many times over by the media, especially in the first few months of the war, but now is as important a time as any to draw attention to what is really happening in this ongoing war.

There has been much debate on who should get involved in this war. There has been talk in NATO regarding other countries, including the United States, helping Ukraine, but no country has volunteered to join the war effort so far. Since Ukraine is not part of NATO, the decision to get involved is up to each individual country. Many cry out for the innocent people of Ukraine, but Russia’s disregard for the rules of war makes it a tough decision for the leaders of the free world.

War itself is a terrible thing, but Russia’s disregard for the criteria of war make this situation even worse. As this war has continued, more information has emerged about the abuses from Russia. Besides not having acceptable reasons to declare war on another country, Russia has made its indifference to the number of lives lost very clear. Soldiers have no respect for civilians, brutally stealing and murdering them. Accounts of war crimes show the very mentality of Vladimir Putin, the current president of Russia. He has awarded troops for their efforts even though they have been accused of unspeakable crimes. Ex-Russian soldier, Nikita Chibrin, describes the horrors he saw while serving. He describes Russian soldiers often stealing from houses in Ukraine removing possessions such as computers, jewelry, cars, and other vehicles. Chibrin also describes how Russian commanders do not discipline their soldiers for committing horrible acts such as killing civilians, stealing, and sexually assaulting women. All of these things can lead to an internal collapse of the Russian Army and give Ukraine a fighting chance. Russia has made it clear that they will not stop fighting until they come out with what they want. Russia is on a rampage of power against the Ukrainian people, committing terrible atrocities.

Ukraine is supported by many countries around the world, and has been given supplies to continue to fight from them. The only way to hold Putin and the Russian army accountable for these problems is to eventually end the war and hold a trial. Ukraine needs as much support as they can to eventually defeat Russia in its quest. Many speculate that, as Russia is persistent in what they want, the war will not end soon, however, there is hope for Ukraine. Russia seems all powerful in its aggressive offensive position, but in reality Russia has weaknesses as any country does. Russian technology is not up to date, unlike Ukraine’s, giving Ukraine a slight advantage. Ukraine has modern western technology, whereas Russia is still using post Soviet-era weaponry. In addition, Russia’s soldiers are enlisted and hardly trained. The lack of modern technology and training of soldiers in Russia could provide the weak spots needed to stop them.

Ukraine needs the continued support in order to keep fighting this battle. Many countries wish to remain neutral for the safety of its civilians. The question is whether or not this lack of action will come back to hurt more lives if not acted upon now. The harsh tactics used by Russia make the decision to enter into war even harder for other countries, leaving Ukraine alone to fight the war for now.