Analyzing the Security Implications of the Russian-Ukraine Crisis

 Title:  Analyzing the Security Implications of the Russian-Ukraine Crisis

Headline: The Russian- Ukraine crisis - A percussor to a new normal  

Type of security- Geographical Security and Territorial Integrity.

Understanding the basic idea of security:

Many times, we do look at security in a positive sense, essentially implying that it is the absence of any type of threat, or rather, it is the space where an individual is secure, thereby being able to flourish and progress within that environment. Many people also tend to look at security in relation to the basic binary of understanding war and peace. Another way the common man understands security is by associating the term with phrases like "comfort," "stability," and "absence of fear".

But as academic scholars, we also learn that there has been an evolution in how we define security through various theories and schools of thought. From Idealism to Neoliberalism, we have seen a shift. Yet, most of these perceptions only lead us to question various aspects of security, such as: what the similar aspect is; that ties all these understandings of security into one type of academic study, whose security are we referring to, how it can be achieved, who provides it, and so forth. By picking up the ongoing crisis and conflict between Russia and Ukraine, I aim to answer these very questions. Furthermore, I will also push myself, as well as all our readers, to try and understand why such questions are, in fact, the most effective way to analyze a particular issue of security.

                                     Reference: MAP: This Is What A Russian Invasion Of Ukraine Could Look Like | Business Insider India

The Major focus of The Blog with respect to the ongoing crisis taken:

In this blog post I address the crux of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, which lies in the security perception and interpretation of one man (Vladimir Putin), what he perceives as a security threat to his country, and the disposition of his southern and western Neighbours both to Russia's internal as well as external security, thereby, acknowledging what we would call geographic security and/or territorial integrity.

Russia’s Perception of Ukraine and its own security (the initial causes of the crisis):

From its interaction with Ukraine, it is clear that Russia believes Ukraine falls under its umbrella, so Russia should be able to direct Ukraine's policies and programs. And any change in this perception would have posed a threat to the security of Russia. These types of situations can be seen in various contexts within the international arena; for instance: in the event that had occurred before 2014, it was perceived that the Ukraine regime under Viktor Yanukovych was pro-Russian. Hence, the Ukrainians then violently protested against him, and he was eventually forced from power in the so-called revolution of dignity. In other words, ordinary Ukrainians believed that Viktor Yanukovych had sold Ukrainian pride to Russia. It was around this time when Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, while the Ukrainians could not defend the land due to their shaky government and unprepared military. Furthermore, we did come across the conflict in the Donbas region (eastern Ukraine), where the Russian-backed separatist groups (non-state actors) were engaged in armed conflict with the Ukrainian government, due to which more than 14,000 people lost their lives. However, we see Russia denying its involvement in the Donbas conflict.

Ukraine’s future attempts to counter this scenario and Russia’s reaction:

All the actions by the Russians only made it seem logical that Ukraine pursued alliances and agreements that could ensure its geographical and territorial security. Therefore, when Ukraine expressed its desire for European Union (EU) membership in 2024 and, subsequently, the desire to join the North-Atlantic Treaty organization (NATO), Russia saw this as a serious infringement on its own security perception. We then see how Russia retaliated, now demanding that Ukraine be denied entry into the European Union (EU) and that the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) be limited to its 30 members. This is mainly because during the Cold War, NATO and the USSR were adversaries, and after the disintegration of the USSR, Russia inherited the legacy along with the bitterness towards the western allies, including NATO. Therefore, acknowledging that any further strengthening of NATO will be logically construed as a security threat to Russia.

Russia then further demanded that NATO must withdraw its troops and military equipment from neighboring countries on its western borders, namely Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, in order to bring the Ukraine conflict to a halt. It was evident that the presence of these troops and military equipment within these countries posed a security threat to Russia.

Why is the Lens of relativity important?

As we have noticed, security for one need not necessarily be security for another. For example, within the context of this security crisis, we see that the perception of security that Ukrainians perceive actually brings out insecurities within Russians. In cases like these, the lens of relativity comes in handy as it allows for one to move away and look at the issues of security using different perceptions, by using different referent objects, by looking at the issues using the different actors involved, etc. This allows for a broader perspective and understanding, which aids in the development of solutions that do not rely on taking information at face value or having a biased opinion.

 Finally, I’d like to end this blog by penning down certain observations:

1. Russia might use this opportunity of invading Ukraine to engage United states and others Western countries for negotiation. And these negotiations would then be used to counter the sanctions imposed by USA on Russia during the aftermath of the Crimean annexation. 

2. I believe that Putin perception on invading Ukraine is that even if there where further sanctions posed on Russia by US, it will only be the symbolic sanctions and hence, it will not hamper the Russian economy to a great extent.

    

Question for the readers to engage in:
Can the security concerns between Russia and Ukraine even explode into triggering the WWIII?

References:

The Associated Press. (2022, January 13). No Ukraine breakthrough, but NATO and Russia Eye More Talks. Firstpost. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.firstpost.com/world/no-ukraine-breakthrough-but-nato-and-russia-eye-more-talks-10281331.html

The Conversation. (2022, January 24). Five reasons why Russia might invade Ukraine and why the US want to get involved. MSN. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/five-reasons-why-russia-might-invade-ukraine-and-why-the-us-want-to-get-involved/ar-AAT4BUB?ocid=uxbndlbing

Gheciu, A., & Wohlforth, W. C. (2018). The Future of Security Studies. The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 2–13. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.1

Krause, K., & Williams, M. (2018). Security and “security studies.” The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 13–28. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.2

Neumann, I. B., & Sending, O. J. (2018). Expertise and practice. The Oxford Handbook of International Security, 28–40. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198777854.013.3