The fears of a Russian invasion in Ukraine have been growing lately. This has led to a stand-off between Russia and the West.
Riven by an eight-year conflict that has claimed more than 14,000 across its Moscow-backed separatist east, Ukraine is now facing the threat of an all-out invasion by Russia.
The situation has been turning critical with Russia amassing troops at Ukraine border and also sending troops to Belarus to exert pressure on Ukraine. This has led to a war of words between the both sides.
The Kremlin has amassed an estimated 130,000 troops around its western neighbour, staging war games across Belarus to its north and navy drills in the Black Sea to its south.
Washington has warned war could break out “any day”. An invasion could start with aerial bombing that would make departures difficult and endanger civilians, the White House said on Friday.
On February 12, US President Joe Biden reportedly told the Western allies during a phone call that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, could launch an attack on Ukraine on February 16. Western countries started pulling their diplomats out of Kyiv and ordering citizens to immediately get out of Ukraine. NATO allies have also stepped up support for Kyiv by sending additional troops and military equipment to Ukraine.
Moscow has claimed its actions are necessary to secure vital security interests and blames NATO for undermining the region’s security.
And even Kyiv– despite calls for calm from Zelenskyy and a range of other leaders – has prepared a plan to evacuate the capital’s three million residents, just in case.
The 2014 revolt provoked the Kremlin into annexing Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula and then backing a rebellion across parts of the former Soviet republic’s mostly Russian-speaking industrial east.
Meanwhile, waving flags and singing the national anthem, thousands of Ukrainians braved the winter cold to march across the capital Kyiv to show unity in the face of a feared Russian invasion.
“Panic is useless. We must unite and fight for independence,” said student Maria Shcherbenko on Saturday, expressing a sentiment similar to that voiced by Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day.
Some carried signs reading “war is not the answer,” while others carried banners calling on the nation to “resist”.