Putin’s move

The war has begun. Russia launched its attacks against Ukraine, which the US expected a week before. Russian President Vladimir Putin justifies his actions as follows.

Firstly, Putin want to protect Russian national security by preventing Ukraine from joining NATO so that the latter will not pose a threat to Russia.

Secondly, the Russian leader sees himself as a protector of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, recognised by Moscow as independent regions.

Such were Russia’s motives for military action against Ukraine.

However, other factors have recently emerged. Putin wants to safeguard his economic interests in Europe while the Ukrainian government is seen as hostile to Russia and pro-Western.

Therefore, Russian gas to Europe is under threat because it is piped to the West under Ukrainian soil.

Putin was well aware of the fact that Europe and the US wanted Ukraine in NATO solely in order to besiege Russia and strike its economy. And if the US and its allies succeed in stopping the gas pipeline, Nord Stream 2, Russia is expected to lose $11 billion – a severe dent in Russia’s finances.

Also, the dream of a revived Russian Empire is yet another factor that precipitated Russian military action.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Putin wanted to build Russia not as merely a strong country, but as an empire. “Russia means nothing without an empire,” so the saying goes.

No matter how precarious an empire is, it is able to return to exercising its role in relation to itself and its region, hence Putin would revive Russia after its setback after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Putin set out in 2000 to establish a powerful Russia that transcends regional states. He was able to rebuild his army and provide it with new weapons superior to American and European arsenals.

He established a strong economy capable of withstanding shocks. In addition, many Russians want Putin to save Russia from the state of collapse they suffered during the reign of Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin.

In short, Russia set out to restore its former glories and no one can stop it. Ukraine is the beginning and will be followed by the rest of the former Soviet republics.

Even if Moscow does not launch military operations against them, but they have pledged their loyalty and will not be tempted towards Europe for fear of a repeat of the Ukraine scenario on their territory.