Undoubtedly, we find ourselves in a time of turmoil. Concurrently, the news coverage we receive can, at times, be spotty.
In light of this, perhaps a brief history of Ukraine will help understand the tumult we now witness — daily, minute-by-minute.
The country dimensioned as we now know it dates back to 1796 when the area was jointly ruled by Austria and Russia. This was so until the start of World War I.
Subsequently, in 1919,national elements created their own republic, thereafter the Red Army took over, supported by the local Communist Party.
Thus, the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic was formed. and became part of the Soviet Russian Federalist states. Nationalist’s though did not die, especially when during 1932 and 1933, millions of mostly peasants died of starvation due to disastrous agricultural policies.
In 1938, Nikita Khrushchev was named head of the Ukraine Communist Party.
When Khrushchev became premier of Russia, he deeded the Crimea — from Russia to Ukraine.
Built-up resentment against communism manifested itself in 1941, when I, as a young boy, I watched news reels showing Ukraine women handing flowers to the invading German soldiers, mistakingly rewgarding them as liberators.
In 1944 the Red Army returned, Ukraine nationalists started a gorilla war which, after 1945, was actively supported by the CIA, employing air drops with agents and ammunition.
In 1951, this activity was finally crushed, and brutally so.
Moving forward to November of 2013, dramatic changes ensued following the "Orange Revolution." At the time, the Russian-friendly government was deposed and a new Western-friendly government was formed; it instituted economic ties with the European Union and requested membership in NATO.
But only a partial membership was granted. However, it omitted Article V which commits the U.S., as part of NATO, to come to the aid of Ukraine in case of war.
When the Ukrainian president kept pressing for full NATO membership status (and to include Article V) Russia became concerned that Ukraine, if it became a nation with full membership status, would feel compelled to allow U.S. troops to be stationed directly on Russia's borders, (similar to U.S. troops now stationed in Poland and the Baltic states).
Russia was also afraid that if the Ukraine tired to recover the Crimea by force, thereby starting a war against Russia, this would trigger a U.S.-Russian war as well.
Thus, on Feb. 24, 2022, the Russian invasion commenced, and did so after Ukraine gave verbal assurances that it would not request full NATO membership. Ukraine refused to give such assurances in writing. Now, Russia is trying to force a change of the Ukraine government in order to eliminate this perceived threat to Russia's security.
The resultant devastation, killing, and the starting of a global economic crisis could be considered a heavy price for even thinking about NATO membership.
Dr. Hans Baumann, a former Corporate Vice President and founder of his company, is a well known inventor, economist, and author having published books on scientific, economic, and historical subjects. Read Dr. Hans Baumann's Reports — More Here.
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