In 2014, Moscow saw an opportunity to exploit a period of significant political change in Ukraine and launched a campaign to undermine the diplomatic processes, governance and territorial integrity of its sovereign neighbor, Ukraine. For more than six years, the Russian government has fueled the conflict in eastern Ukraine, threatening the lives of local civilians and degrading critical infrastructure on which millions depend for electricity and water. Despite the impact of COVID-19 throughout the region, Russia’s aggression continues unabated.
Make no mistake – the conflict in eastern Ukraine is not “internal.” Ukrainians fought for their freedom in Kyiv’s central square through the hardest winter months of 2013 and 2014, demanding an accountable government. In an effort to undermine Ukraine’s embrace of democratic values and a path toward greater integration with Europe, the Russian government initiated this conflict – in an attempt – to bring Ukraine back under the influence of the Kremlin.