Unyielding Resistance: The Truth About Russia’s War on Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not a defensive act but a brazen assault on a sovereign nation. For centuries, Ukraine has struggled against imperial domination, and today its people again face a genocidal campaign by an authoritarian regime. This article traces the long arc of Ukraine’s history, the events that led to Russia’s unprovoked wars from 2014 through 2025, and the unwavering resistance of the Ukrainian people and their allies. We document Russia’s atrocities – from the Bucha and Mariupol massacres to the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children – and expose the Kremlin’s lies. We celebrate Ukraine’s democracy and international support, and we call for continued solidarity: because putting the world’s most powerful tyrant in check is a fight for all humanity’s future.

Soviet Legacy and Ukrainian Independence

Ukraine’s struggle for freedom has deep roots. Once a part of the Kievan Rus', a medieval polity that gave rise to modern Ukrainian identity, the region was eventually dominated by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and then absorbed by the expanding Russian Empire. Over centuries, Ukrainians fought to preserve their language, culture, and autonomy against Russification and repression.

Under Soviet rule, Ukraine suffered terribly. The Holodomor of 1932–33, a man-made famine engineered by Stalin, killed an estimated 3 to 7 million Ukrainians. Many historians and nations recognize this as genocide. Throughout the Soviet era, dissent was crushed, intellectuals were purged, and Ukrainian nationalism was portrayed as fascist. Yet the desire for independence never died.

In 1991, with the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine declared independence by popular referendum. Over 90% of voters supported sovereignty, including a majority in Crimea. Ukraine was internationally recognized and joined the United Nations. It gave up its Soviet nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarantees from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum.

Putin’s Imperial Ambitions and the 2014 Invasion

In 2000, Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia and quickly began consolidating authoritarian rule. His regime championed neo-imperial nostalgia for the Soviet Union and the Tsarist empire, portraying Ukraine as an illegitimate state and Ukrainians as "Little Russians." When Ukraine sought closer ties with Europe, Putin viewed it as a direct threat to his vision of a Russian sphere of influence.

In late 2013, Ukraine's then-president Viktor Yanukovych, under Russian pressure, abandoned an EU association agreement. This sparked mass protests in Kyiv, known as the Euromaidan. The movement, driven by young Ukrainians, civil society, and opposition figures, demanded democracy, human rights, and an end to Russian meddling. In February 2014, Yanukovych fled the country. A new pro-Western government took power.

Russia responded by invading Crimea in March 2014. Using unmarked soldiers (the infamous "little green men"), Moscow quickly occupied and then annexed the peninsula after a sham referendum. The international community condemned the act, but did not intervene militarily.

Shortly thereafter, Russia incited and supported separatist movements in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Donetsk and Luhansk. These regions became the site of a grinding conflict that killed over 14,000 people between 2014 and 2021. Russia supplied weapons, funding, and personnel to the so-called "Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics," despite claiming non-involvement.

2022: Russia’s All-Out War Begins

In the pre-dawn hours of 24 February 2022, Russia launched its most brutal assault yet. President Putin appeared on state television to announce a "special military operation" against Ukraine – a euphemism for war. Within hours, Russian tanks, artillery and missiles struck from the north (via Belarus), the east, and the south (from Crimea).

Moscow’s stated goals shifted wildly: from "de-Nazification" to defending Russian speakers, to preventing NATO expansion. In truth, Putin aimed to topple Ukraine’s democratically elected government and reassert control.

The Ukrainian people responded with extraordinary courage. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former comedian turned wartime leader, famously rejected offers to evacuate Kyiv: "I need ammunition, not a ride." Civilians joined the defense effort, and Ukraine mobilized all its military and reserves. The capital held. So did Kharkiv. The Battle of Mariupol became a symbol of heroic last stands.

War Crimes and Humanitarian Crisis

Russia’s invasion brought unspeakable suffering. The United Nations and independent human rights groups have documented widespread war crimes. In Bucha, Russian troops left behind mass graves, torture chambers, and the bodies of civilians shot execution-style. Satellite images and eyewitness accounts confirmed deliberate atrocities.

Mariupol was leveled by indiscriminate shelling. Over 20,000 civilians may have died. The Russian air force bombed a maternity hospital and a theater sheltering children. In Kherson and occupied territories, civilians reported abductions, torture, and systematic repression.

Russia forcibly deported thousands of Ukrainian children to Russian territory for adoption and "re-education". These acts may constitute genocide under international law.

2023–2024: Turning the Tide

In 2023, Ukraine launched successful counteroffensives. With precision Western weapons and battlefield innovation, they reclaimed swaths of territory in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia. Russian forces were pushed back from Kherson. The vaunted Russian army, thought to be the world’s second most powerful, was exposed as corrupt, demoralized, and inept.

The Russian economy, hit by sanctions and isolation, began to falter. Western unity held, with continued arms shipments, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian aid. Finland and Sweden joined NATO, undermining Putin’s claims of blocking expansion. China remained wary, offering limited diplomatic support but avoiding open alignment with Moscow.

In 2024, Ukraine began using long-range Western missiles to strike Russian military targets in Crimea and occupied Donbas. Russia retaliated with air raids on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, but failed to break civilian morale. New NATO deployments in Eastern Europe further deterred Russian escalation.

The Global Stakes

This war is not merely a regional conflict. It is a fight over the future of the international order. If a nuclear-armed dictatorship can invade and erase its neighbor, then no border is safe. Ukraine’s resistance has helped uphold global norms and democratic values. The country has become a symbol of freedom.

Putin’s Russia, by contrast, has descended into fascism: political opposition is crushed, journalists are imprisoned or killed, and propaganda dominates state media. The regime celebrates war crimes and glorifies conquest.

Across the Global South, reactions have been mixed. Some countries sympathize with Russia’s anti-Western rhetoric, but many recognize the dangerous precedent. Ukraine’s struggle echoes that of every post-colonial nation fighting imperial dominance.

Where Things Stand in 2025

As of early 2025, the war continues. Ukraine holds most of its territory but fierce battles rage in the east. Peace talks remain stalled, with Russia demanding recognition of its conquests and Ukraine insisting on full withdrawal. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for senior Russian officials, including Putin, for war crimes.

Ukraine continues to push for full EU and NATO membership. Reconstruction is underway in liberated cities. Despite trauma and destruction, Ukrainian society remains vibrant, creative, and fiercely democratic.

Conclusion: The Price of Freedom

This is not a proxy war. It is not NATO vs. Russia. It is the Russian Federation attempting to annihilate a sovereign nation, its culture, and its people. Ukraine did not choose this war, but it has risen to meet the moment. Its resistance has inspired the world.

The international community must continue to provide weapons, aid, and political support. Sanctions on Russia must remain until full accountability is achieved. Justice demands it. Peace demands it. History will judge those who stood with Ukraine – and those who remained silent.

Slava Ukraini.

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This article is based on publicly available documentation from the UN, international media, governments, and humanitarian organizations. All facts reflect current reporting as of April 2025.