Russia/Ukraine

Question 1

What is currently concerning NATO regarding Russia and Ukraine?

Answer 1

Russia’a military presence that is building up on the Ukraine borders.

Question 2

Why is NATO concerned about the build up of the Rissian military on Ukraine’s borders?

Answer 2

New intelligence suggests that Russia is planning to invade the Ukraine.

Question 3

Why is the geographic location of the Ukraine important to Russia and the West?

Answer 3

The Ukraine lies between Russia and the west. Therefore it can play a big role in the power play between both sides.

Question 4

How long has the Ukraine lived with Russian threat?

Answer 4

Almost 8 years

Question 5

Ukraine and Russia were both once part of the USSR. When did the USSR break up?

Answer 5

1991

Question 6

What decision did the Ukraine have to make in 2013?

Answer 6

The Ukraine had to decide whether to lean more towards the west or remain closer to Russia.

Question 7

The Ukraine President was going to sign a political and economic deal with the EU. What happened and what was the reaction of the Ukranian people?

Answer 7

The President instead signed a deal with Russia, The Ukranian people were angry and saw it as a sign of pressure from Russia.

Question 8

What happened in the Ukraine after the Ukranian president signed the economic and political deal with Russia?

Answer 8

There were mass protests and eventually the president was kicked out and a new president signed the deal with the EU. (Although the Ukraine did not join the EU)

Question 9

Crimea used to be part of the Ukraine. What happened in Crimea in 2014?

Answer 9

There was a refendum in Crimea and the people voted to join Russia. This resulted in Russia annexing Crimea.

Question 10

What two cities in Eastern Ukraine make up the Donbass region?

Answer 10

Luhansk and Donetsk

Question 11

What happened in the Donbass region in 2014?

Answer 11

Pro Russian separatists started taking territory within Luhansk and Donetsk and a full scale war between them and the Ukranian militar

Question 12

Russia was accused of backing the separatist. What was Moscow’s response to this accusation?

Answer 12

Moscow denied backing the separatists

Question 13

Has the fighting stopped in Eastern Ukraine?

Answer 13

No, it is still ongoing.

Question 14

What is NATO?

Answer 14

NATO is the military alliance founded by Western countries to band together against the USSR after world war 2,

Question 15

What does NATO stand for?

Answer 15

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

Question 16

What significant thing happened regarding NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Answer 16

NATO expanded eastward and has taken countries such as Poland, Bulgaria and the Baltic states.

Question 17

How did Russia feel about Poland, Bulgaria dnthe Baltic stgates joing NATO?

Answer 17

Russia felt that it was a threat to Russian security.

Question 18

What big demands has Putin put forward and wants legal guarantees on?

Answer 18

He wants NATO to stop military co-operation with Ukraine, and rule out Ukraine joining NATO.

Question 19

Putin’s strategy is unclear, but what are the differing opinions that people have?

Answer 19

Some people believe that by putting Russin troops on the Ukranian border, Putin is bluffing and is just trying to scare the West and the Ukraine into a deal.

Others believe that Putin is scared that if the Ukraine becomes nore involved with the West then it could look like it is being run more successfully than the way he runs Russia. This would be an existential threat to his authoritarian regime. He would then be unable say that democracy is impossible in Russia.

Question 20

What have the US and its Allies said will happen if Russia invades Ukraine?

Answer 20

They have threatened tough sanctions designed to crush the Russian economy and hit its Tech and Defence sectors .

Question 21

Russia and the West have been holding talks with the idea of calming things down, but what point is Russia digging their heels in?

Answer 21

Russia has stated that it is imperative that the Ukraine never, ever becomes a member of NATO.