Russia-Ukraine War: How it Connects to the History of Russian Expansion

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Contemporary Reflection Writing Assignment
Historical empires have a huge connection with various events occurring in modern-day life or n the recent past. This connection is seen in the vast number of ways they have impacted people's lives. One way empires have impacted modern society is how different people and groups have responded to various historical events. This paper will discuss the current war between Russia and Ukraine and how it connects to the history of Russian expansion.
Case Description
The Russia-Ukraine war is an ongoing international relations and geopolitical issue which started in February 2014. The war began as an effort to remove Viktor Yanukovych in power. The president would make decisions in favor of Russia instead of Ukraine, the country he was supposed to be leading. In the early hours of 8 August, pro-Russian forces opened fire on 30 Ukrainian troops near Iztova village, Luhansk Oblast. Ukrainian soldiers fired back after the attack and managed to repell the assault. One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another injured. The attackers managed to capture one vehicle with ammunition before retreating. On 12 August, two border guards were killed in a shootout with unknown attackers near Krasna Talivka village (between Sloviansk and Sverdlovsk), Donetsk Oblast. Both sides accused each other for violating the ceasefire agreements reached on 5 September 2014 in Minsk II agreement. The agreement is considered the only viable option for the resolution of the conflict.
Russia gradually started supplying more military equipment to militants in Ukraine; this supply was unofficially denied by Russia. The process of legalization of separatist republics started in November 2014, which also coincided with the ceasefire agreements reached on 5 September 2014 in Minsk II agreement. This made it hard to distinguish between Russian volunteers supporting separatists and regular Russian Army soldiers. Since November, Ukrainian army recorded dozens of cease-fire violations by pro-Russian forces. Most incidents were around Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol. In the same period, Ukrainian army received more weapons and military equipment.
The Ukrainian army reported that a convoy of several dozen armored personnel carriers, supported by infantry, crossed from Russia into Ukraine across the border near Krasnodon on 20 January 2015. This was not confirmed by Russia and not observed by reporters or satellites. According to the Ukrainian government separatist sources in Donbass reported on 2 February 2015 that Russian airborne troops had deployed to Kramatorsk airfield; this was not confirmed by Russia or observed by reporters or satellites either. During 18–24 February 2015, Russian media and local residents near Donetsk city reported sporadic artillery ...