Research Essay

Introduction:
Amidst all the talk about countries and their problems, there's something really important
happening: the Ukraine-Russia justice movements. But what are these movements really
about, and why should we care? The Ukraine-Russia conflict began in 2014 when Russia
took part of Ukraine. Many people got hurt or had to leave. In 2022, Russia launched a new,
larger invasion, causing even more suffering. Fighting still goes on despite other countries
trying to stop it. Different countries and groups, like the EU and the US, are trying to help.
One example of the support is from Poland who welcomes more than two million refugees
from Ukraine, according to The UN Refugee Agency “two million people who have entered
Poland from Ukraine”. But many regular people suffered, with lots forced to leave and
lacking food or water.

Paragraph 1: The reason behind Russia invading Ukraine

In this paragraph, we will be talking about the reasons behind Russia invading Ukraine.
Imagine Ukraine as a country going out into the world after a long history. In 1991, Ukraine
gained independence from the Soviet Union. But this freedom came with challenges.
Corruption, political troubles, and economic struggles made life tough. Meanwhile, Russia,
Ukraine’s neighbour, kept a close eye on it. Ukraine dreamed of joining Western democracies.
Russia worried about losing influence on Ukraine. “Russia can't claim a thousand years of
history because Kyiv was already in existence 1,200 years ago, when Moscow was a forest”
(Business Insider, 2024). Fast forward to 2014. Russia attacked and claimed Crimea, a
peninsula with a rich past and lots of Russian-speaking peoples. Russia claimed they were
protecting ethnic Russians from Ukrainian mistreatment. But the rest of the world said, “Hey,
that’s not cool!” The annexation of Crimea caused a lot of disagreement. Now, imagine
NATO as a club where countries team up for safety. Ukraine wanted to be in it, and Russia
wasn’t happy about that. They feared that NATO would be closer to their borders if Ukraine
joined NATO. It was like Russia’s security alarm went off. President Vladimir Putin, wanted
to invade Ukraine. So, aggression escalated, and it got really tense. Putin’s decision to invade
Ukraine is rooted in a complex mix of history, strategic interests, and political objectives,
including the desire to prevent NATO’s eastward expansion (Baker, 2024) talks about how
Putin’s choice is tied to history and what Russia wants. He didn’t want NATO to come closer
to Russia by expanding eastward. This idea helps us understand his decision better. The
invasion has been framed by Russia as a necessary step for national security and as a response
to what it perceives as Western encroachment (The Conversation, 2022) also talks about how
Russia sees things. They say Russia feels like invading Ukraine is necessary to keep itself
safe. They think the West is getting too close, so they're trying to protect themselves. These
sources help us understand why Putin acted, showing it's more than just about Ukraine or
NATO, it's about Russia's past and how it sees its role in the world. It shows that there are
deep reasons for what he did. It's not just about Ukraine or NATO, it's about Russia's history
and how it sees its place in the world. In summary, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is motivated
by a complicated history, geopolitical tensions, and Vladimir Putin. This conflict's effects has
an impact on the European Union and has sparked international reactions and sanctions.
Paragraph 2: The Justice Movement - Methods and Goals
In this paragraph, we will be focusing on the methods and goals of the movement. Why do the
global outcry against Russia’s actions, with protests aiming to influence political decisions
and raise awareness? To begin, with the reason behind the protest, according to The
Washington Post “Moreover, the main reason for the protest is for peace.” Many people
protest in many ways. In Russia, Moscow, people brought flowers to the statue of a famed
Ukrainian writer, Lesya Ukrainka, which became a makeshift memorial to Ukrainian victims
of Russia’s invasion following a missile strike on a residential building in Dnipro in January
that “killed at least 46 people” (Washington Post 2023). In Ivanovo, about 200 miles northeast
of Moscow, activists put up a banner on the side of a highway overpass, which read “Enough
of this bloody ‘battle for peace’”(Washington Post 2023). In a more visual approach, in the
city of Kaluga, southwest of Moscow, unknown protesters painted a large “Z” sign, a symbol
of Russia’s military, in yellow and blue — the colors of the Ukrainian flag. However, protests
are virtually outlawed in Russia, and public opposition to the war poses great personal risks,
including prosecution and long prison sentences, though pro-war hawks are generally
permitted to complain that Russia is not winning fast enough, or to demand more brutal
tactics. Additionally, when demonstrations broke out last year at the beginning of the
invasion, Russian law enforcement cracked down, making nearly 20,000 arrests to show that
public outcry would not be tolerated. On the other hand, In Europe, many countries such as
“Netherlands, France, and Serbia” (Washington post 2023) in their own ways. For example, In
Netherlands, the national anthem of Ukraine was playing on loop in front of the Russian
Embassy in The Hague. Also, In France, Paris, the Eiffel tower lit up blue and yellow in
solidarity and French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the Kremlin’s war. According
to BBC, “In London, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak led a minute of silence outside his Downing
Street residence, while protesters painted a giant Ukrainian flag on the street outside the
Russian Embassy, and authorities renamed a street in the capital as ‘Kyiv Road.” A year after
Russia invaded Ukraine, peace activists marched through London demanding that peace
negotiations begin right away. Furthermore, some 4,000 protesters were organized by the
national campaign for nuclear disarmament and Stop the War, who marched from the BBC's
Portland Place offices to a gathering in Trafalgar Square with the banners "No to nuclear war,
no to NATO, and no to Russian invasion." Everyone desired peace and an end to the conflict.
However, did you realize that a lot of people already oppose the movement for similar
reasons? Andrew Murray, the former chair of Stop the War, informed the gathering that their
opinions reflected those of the great majority of nations on Earth. “China wants peace. India
wants peace. South Africa wants peace. Lula in Brazil wants peace,” he said (according to
BBC). Also, Former Labour MP for Kensington Emma Dent Coad slammed Britain’s
channelling of billions into nuclear arms like “Nuclear war is an obscenity we should never
contemplate.”

Paragraph 3: How other countries help Ukraine

In this paragraph, we will talk about how other countries help Ukraine. Ukraine and Poland
share a 535km border. Picture people leaving behind homes and memories because of the war
happening in Ukraine. According to data from the United Nations, the invasion resulted in
over 15 million border crossings from Ukraine into Poland and over 3 million crossings into
Hungary since February 2022 (Pew Research Center, 2023) This evidence shows that many
refugees in Ukraine has crossed over to different countries since the war. Among the refugees,
90% are women and children. Curiously, most Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are banned from
leaving the country (BBC, 2022). By March 24, more than half of all children in Ukraine had
left their homes, with a quarter of them leaving the country altogether (BBC, 2022). Poland
offered shelter, food, healthcare and other basic needs. But hunger and fear still haunt the
Ukraine peoples because of the war in Russia, people who lost their family members or
witnessed them die. The EU, the US, and other countries stepped up. They sent aid, put
sanctions on Russia, and tried to talk Russia into peace and stop invading Ukraine. But the
fighting keeps on happening. Kids without schools, parents without jobs, and families torn
apart. Amidst the chaos in Ukraine, families are fleeing their homes, seeking safety in another
place, safer. More than two million Ukrainians, mostly women and children, have got refuge
in Poland. Strangely, Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 face travel bans, making it harder for them
to escape (BBC, 2022) This shows that many Ukrainians aren’t able to leave their home. By
March 24, many Ukrainian kids had left their homes, and a quarter of them had left the
country (BBC, 2022). While Poland offered help, many people is still suffering. Countries
around the world are stepping up to help Ukraine. This international support is really
important for Ukraine. As the conflict continues, countries like Poland are providing a home
for those in need from Ukraine. As the war goes on, more people will leave Ukraine, resulting
in more refugees going to other countries like Poland.

Conclusion:
The Ukraine-Russia war movement has gained attention worldwide and received military
help. But the fighting continues, causing suffering, and facing problems from Russia's
influence. Success depends on solving these issues and finding peace. Looking forward, the
Ukraine-Russia conflict may keep going, causing problems and affecting many countries.
Efforts to talk and solve things peacefully could happen, but things are still uncertain. It's
important for countries to work together to find a solution and make things better for
everyone involved.

Reference page:
Introduction:
Poland welcomes more than two million refugees from Ukraine. (2022, December 12).
UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/news/news-releases/poland-welcomes-more-two-million-
refugees-ukraine

Paragraph 1:

Baker, S. (2024, February 9). Why did Russia invade Ukraine? Experts break down Putin’s
motivations and excuses for launching his war. Business Insider.
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-did-russia-invade-ukraine-putin-politics-motive-2023-
6

David, K. (n.d.). Why did Russia invade Ukraine? The Conversation.

https://theconversation.com/why-did-russia-invade-ukraine-178512

Paragraph 2:
4000 March in London for peace talks to end Ukraine 4,000 march in London for peace talks
to end Ukraine war | Morning Star (morningstaronline.co.uk)

Protests in Russia denounce Ukraine invasion; antiwar rallies held worldwide Protests in Russia
denounce Putin's war in Ukraine on invasion anniversary - The Washington Post
Paragraph 3:

How many Ukrainian refugees are there and where have they gone? (2022, July 4).
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60555472

B. (2023, October 31). Hungarian and Polish support for taking in refugees declines | Pew
Research Center. Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project.
https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2023/10/02/support-for-taking-refugees-in-poland-and-
hungary/

Conclusion:

Golebiowska, K., Pachocka, M., & Kubiciel-Lodzińska, S. (n.d.). Poland has opened its
arms to nearly 1 million Ukrainian refugees, but will they be able to stay for the long term?
The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/poland-has-opened-its-arms-to-nearly-1-
million-ukrainian-refugees-but-will-they-be-able-to-stay-for-the-long-term-219481

Annotations:

Source 1: Protests in Russia denounce Ukraine invasion; antiwar rallies held worldwide

Ilyushina, M., Dixon, R., Suliman, A., & Ebel, F. (2023, February 24). Protests in Russia
denounce Ukraine invasion; antiwar rallies held worldwide. Washington Post.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/24/protests-russia-ukraine-war-anniversary/
This source is recent, it was published on February 24, 2023. The information is up to date
because it was written right after the rally.
This information will help with my research paper because it can tell readers about the
incident in which people protested Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
This article was written by The Washington Post, founded in 1877, one of the largest media
organizations in the world. The Washington Post has reporters all over the world, including
Russia where the protest was.
The information from the source appears in other news websites. The article quotes words
from the military and the protesters several times.
The purpose of this article is to provide readers an insight on the protest happening in Russia
in which the people there does not support the invasion of Ukraine.
This source will appear in the historical context.

Source 2: London Ukraine march attracts hundreds calling for peace

This source was published this year on 25 February 2024. The information was written a
month ago so it is up to date.
This information will help my research paper because it can tell readers about some parts
around the world who protested the idea of Russia invading Ukraine.
This article was written by the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC), one of the largest and
most reputable media organizations in the entire world. The BBC has reporters who live and
work all over the world, including in the UK, London where the protest took place.
The information from the source appears in other news websites. The article quotes words
from the military and the protesters several times.
The purpose of this article is to provide readers an insight on the protest happening around
the world in which the people who protested calls for peace.
This source will appear in the historical context.

London Ukraine march attracts hundreds calling for peace. (n.d.). London Ukraine March
Attracts Hundreds Calling for Peace. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-
68392144

Source 3: People detained at Russia protest calling for troops to return from Ukraine

This source is recent, it was published on 3 Feb, 2024.

This information will help with my research paper because it can tell readers about journalists
were briefly held at protest by wives of Russian soldiers calling for their return from Ukraine.
This article was written by the Alzazeera, which has lots of options for topics. The
information from the source appears in other news website. The article quotes words from the
wives and sisters and children several times. The purpose of the article is to inform readers
about a protest in central Moscow organized by The Way Home group, which consists of
wives and relatives of Russian servicemen mobilized to fight in Ukraine.
This source will appear in the historical context.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/3/people-detained-at-russia-protest-calling-for-
troops-to-return-from-ukraine