It’s been nearly one year since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. During this time, thousands of Ukrainians have been displaced from their homes, many civilians have lost their lives and international relationships on the world stage have worsened.
It’s hard to gauge just how big an impact this war has had on Ukraine and the rest of the world. So here are some key stats and facts to put things into perspective.
Russia has roughly 850,000 active military personnel whereas Ukraine has just 200,000. However the (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) NATO collectively has more than 3 million active personnel. Both Russia and Ukraine also have a mandatory draft, so it’s no surprise to see that Poland had the highest number of border crossings from Ukraine, with more than nine million crossings made as of February 2023. Despite efforts to escape the country, nearly 12,500 civilians have been injured as a consequence of the fighting.
Ukraine has wanted to join NATO for decades. But now the country is looking to speed up its application process. As official members of NATO, other members states would be compelled to protect Ukraine from Russian aggression. But Ukraine’s path to membership is not simple. There is global concern about the possibility of the USA entering direct conflict with Russia. This could lead to a stark escalation with potentially nuclear consequences. But despite these risks, a majority of Ukrainians want their country to join the NATO alliance.
It’s easy to feel helpless and insignificant during this time. But South Yorkshire is playing its part. In fact, as of 14th February 2023, more than 1340 individually sponsored visas have been issued by the four boroughs in South Yorkshire. This is part of the UK’s “Homes for Ukraine” sponsorship scheme.
One year on and the outcome of this war is still impossible to predict. However, with both sides bolstering their forces and further talks in the west discussing arming Ukraine with additional jets, it is likely a peaceful resolution will not come anytime soon, if at all.
Some useful links:
- Click here to find out what UNICEF is doing to help the children in Ukraine
- Click here for some additional facts about the Ukraine crisis
- Click here for a useful YouTube video explaining the Ukraine-Russia conflict
