Much of the world watches with horror and condemnation as the Russian President’s forces pour into neighbouring Ukraine, in a bloody mission of punitive conquest. The bombs are taking out civilians as well as key installations. Over a million Ukrainians have fled the country, whilst thousands of young foreign workers and expatriates return to defend their homeland, using whatever weapons they can get their hands on. The justification for Russia’s military operation seems a flimsy pretext for naked aggression. If so concerned about the plight of pro-Russian Ukrainians along the eastern border, why not seek a diplomatic solution? Instead the Russian President has responded with a thousand-fold the bullying behaviour of which he accused the Ukrainian government.
Some are saying Ukraine is just the start and that the conflict will go beyond its borders, drawing in the NATO forces to develop into World War Three. I have difficulty believing this, I don’t think this is what the Russian President wants having reminded the world of Russia’s nuclear capabilities. I think that if the Russian campaign is successful, it is more likely to install a new pro-Russian government in Ukraine along the lines of neighbouring Belarus. In any case I don’t imagine that peace will be restored easily for the Ukrainian people.
At home in Australia we have joined other countries in issuing economic sanctions against Russia. The COVID-19 pandemic continues, with thousands of new cases daily (including the Prime Minister Scott Morrison) however the Omicron strain and high vaccination rates mean that our hospital systems are not being overwhelmed, and public health restrictions are gradually lifting. Western Australia is finally relaxing its border controls after being closed to the world for two years. Along the east coast of Australia we have been inundated with rain over the last week, which has caused terrible flooding around Queensland’s South-East and the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Further storms are forecast which is hampering recovery efforts by the various “mud army” volunteer units, and exacerbating the effects of panic buying in the food stores.
War, pestilence, the hint of famine. At times it seems as if we have fallen into a deep apocalyptic nightmare however I know we are simply living through some historic events that will be taught in our schools someday.
Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash