The moment the Ukraine War began, it all started when President Zelenskiy appealed to the U.S. president to let Ukraine join NATO. In February, his government freezes the assets of opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk, the Kremlin’s most prominent ally in Ukraine. On March 20, 2021, Russia begins massing troops near Ukraine’s borders in what it says are training exercises. Then satellite images taken by Maxar Technologies showed an ongoing buildup of Russian forces near Ukraine, with estimates that they would soon surpass 100,000 troops deployed.
NATO puts forces on standby and reinforces eastern Europe with more ships and fighter jets. Washington responds to Russia’s security demands, repeating its commitment to NATO’s "open-door" policy while offering a "pragmatic evaluation" of Moscow’s concerns. Two days later, Russia said its demands were not addressed. In a TV address, Putin says Ukraine is an integral part of Russian history and has a puppet regime managed by foreign powers. Putin sent what he called peacekeeping forces into two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine after recognizing them as independent. The U.S., Britain, and their allies sanctioned Russian parliament members, banks, and other assets in response to Putin’s troop order. Germany halts the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. Putin authorizes "special military operations" in Ukraine. Russian forces launch missile and artillery attacks, striking major Ukrainian cities, including Kiev.
