UKRAINE

 Since the Russians have decided to invade Ukraine, I thought it time to look back and see what has happened there before.  A short history.

Ukraine, a large tract of valuable land basically between Russia and Poland, was declared an independent state, a republic, in 1917 in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution.   It was during this revolution that Russia transformed from a monarchy to a socialist government.  The period from 1918 to 1921 was marked by what some call the Ukrainian Revolution.  It was here that Ukraine gained independence as a republic.  In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) was formed and Ukraine was a founding member of that union.   Ukraine remained a member of the Soviet Union until the Union was dissolved in 1991.  It immediately declared itself neutral as regards to other countries and blocs.

From the beginning, it was a country torn between allegiance and heritage to both Russia and Poland; Poland to it's west and Russia to it's east.  It contained rich farmland and many mineral resources.  Most valuable of all was it's southern border in the area called Crimea which includes ports on the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.  The Black Sea is a warm weather port which connects to the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.  It is a critical port for Eastern European countries, especially during Winter.  Crimea is a peninsula of southern Ukraine which extends into the Black Sea.  

So Ukraine is largely related to Poland in the eastern half of the country and to Russia in the western half of the country.  People speak different languages; Ukrainian in it's central and western areas and Russian in the east.  Over 80% of Ukrainians declare themselves Christians including 72% which are Eastern Orthodox Catholic.  

Well, in 2014, Russian troops moved in to occupy Crimea when a revolution deposed the Ukrainian president.  The people of that little area then declared themselves independent from Ukraine and a separate republic.  Shortly, Russia annexed Crimea claiming it their own.  The rest of the world is not having that but not doing anything about it.  What follows is partly the result of Russia being allowed to annex Crimea.

Now comes a similar situation.  Russia is moving in troops to occupy more of eastern Ukraine.  President Putin is a rat nibbling at a big block of cheese, eating it as he pleases.  He will not stop until he is stopped.  He will not stop until he is stopped or full.  The rest of the world must be decisive.  

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