Tension continues to build between Russia and Ukraine, as more than 100,000 Russian troops have amassed along the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, the United States and NATO are also working to prevent a Russian invasion, threatening ‘swift and severe action’ if Russia acts. So why does Russia want to invade Ukraine, like it did with Crimea in 2014? And why would Russia risk the wrath of NATO over an invasion attempt?
Straight Arrow News spoke with Dr. John Deni, a professor of national security studies at the US Army War College, to answer those questions. Deni said Russia’s reasons for invasion come down to three things.
- Expanding territory: “Russia has equated security with territory,” Deni explained. “And so when it looks to its border regions….it sees countries that it prefers to have some degree of dominance over or influence in.”
- Keeping Western Influence at bay: “Ukraine looks to be moving more and more toward the West,” Deni said. “That represents something of a security risk to Russia–or at least Russian leaders pitch it that way–to the Russian people.”
- Public display of dominance: “As Ukraine was moving more in this westerly direction, Putin has now turned up the heat and has threatened to invade,” Deni said. “This time, though, the outlook is far more dire than it was just seven years ago.”