Plight of Ukraine - Putin Wrong and World Wrong

 It is sad  that  Ukraine has been left alone to defend it’s territory and it’s sovereignty against Putin’s Russia , inspite of the fact  that Russia is a much larger country with much more military capability than that of Ukraine.

by N.S.Venkataraman         

As Putin’s Russia is dropping bombs in Ukraine and rushing in with tanks, destroying buildings, infrastructure and killing people, the one region  which can appreciate the plight of Ukraine and the feelings of helplessness that it  is undergoing is Tibet.

Around six decades back, China pounced on Tibet aggressively, massacred the innocent protesting Tibetans and mercilessly sent it’s army to occupy  Tibet. Ukraine is now undergoing agony and  suffering,  similar to what Tibet underwent around six decades back.

The present approach and   mercilessness  of Putin is no different from that of leadership of China  when it occupied Tibet.

Why Putin wrong ?

Putin says that he has to attack Ukraine to ensure that Ukraine would not join NATO ,as the  presence of NATO forces in Ukraine would be a threat to security of Russia. 

Some supporters of Putin point out that when a few decades back, Russia wanted to create a military base in Cuba, then President of USA John Kennedy protested and said that he would not permit this to happen.  He ordered   blockade of Cuba which could have resulted in a big war , but  then Nikita Khrushchev  led soviet Union withdrew it’s move.  The argument is that the stand of Putin with regard to Ukraine is similar to the stand of US President Kennedy with regard to the Cuba issue  earlier.

While  the above details are factual , the fact at present is that Ukraine has not joined NATO  and  only discussions have been happening.  Considering Putin’s opposition , NATO may not have pursued with the idea of including Ukraine in the NATO.

Obviously, Putin has used this so called threat of Ukraine joining NATO to justify  it’s aggression against Ukraine.   Putin is certainly wrong

Why world wrong?

It is sad  that  Ukraine has been left alone to defend it’s territory and it’s sovereignty against Putin’s Russia , inspite of the fact  that Russia is a much larger country with much more military capability than that of Ukraine.

The ground reality today is that when Russia has attacked Ukraine  and looks like  occupying the entire country very soon, the world is simply watching.

Countries like USA and Western European countries do not want to involve themselves in checking the march of Russian troops into Ukraine by sending their forces  and are leaving Ukraine at the mercy of aggressive Putin.  USA and West European countries are paying only lip sympathy to Ukraine and  are imposing some economic sanctions against Russia , which will not help Ukraine to save itself from going under Russian occupation. The imposition of some sanctions appear to be a face saving formula  for USA and NATO. Countries.

An attempt was made to condemn  Russia for launching attack on Ukraine in United Nations Security Council, even as it is well known that Russia would defeat the motion by exercising it’s veto power.  Obviously, the move to condemn Russia in United Nations is a cosmetic step of USA and NATO  countries to give a false impression that they are fighting against forces of aggression .

It is strange and surprising that China has not supported Russia in UNSC  but abstained . China has no respect  for sovereignty of several other countries   and it is guilty of occupying Tibet and holding on to Tibetan territory.  China’s act is nothing but one of crocodile tears shed in the UNSC to send a false impression to the world that China has respect for sovereignty of other countries.

What is even more strange is that India also abstained from voting in UNSC, even as it called for cessation of aggression by Russia .  In taking this decision to abstain, India has not adhered to principles of fairness and ethics in international relations but has acted only in self interest, so that it would neither displease Russia nor USA and western countries. Obviously, the world get an impression that India has no courage of conviction.

The world  remain silent and unconcerned about the plight of Tibetans at the hands of China. Similarly , it appears that world would remain unconcerned with regard to the fate of Ukraine and it’s citizens.

Now what will happen to Ukraine ?

In all probability, Putin will have the last laugh with regard to Ukraine,  just as China has the last laugh with regard to Tibet..  Ukraine will go under Russia for long time to come with a person loyal to Putin being imposed by Putin as leader of the Ukranian government. 

At best, what USA and West European countries and Canada would do is to accept refugees from Ukraine  who cannot return back to their motherland for long time to come.

It appears now that any country economically and militarily  powerful  can do whatever it want  against any other country,  unmindful of the so called world opinion.

After all this deplorable conditions of Putin invading Ukraine , let not anyone be surprised if the US President or British Prime Minister would shake hands with Putin  after cooling off period.  Meanwhile, Ukraine like Tibet would be virtually forgotten  in the world.

With UNO totally failing  to   persuade  Russia to withdraw it’s forces from Ukraine and conclusively proving itself to be an impotent organization, is there any chance for countries which are victims of  aggression in the world at any time?