WWIII? A glimpse into the malversation of Putin's kleptocracy.

As impending crisis spirals into a pernicious reality, every effort must be made to prioritise civilian safeguarding in the midst of imminent warfare.

The harrowing realities for citizens across the Eastern European nation of Ukraine are proving to progress at an increasingly dire rate. Awoken by the sounds of heavy bombardment and unwarranted Russian military aggression, civilians, fearing for their lives, are fleeing from the very solace of their own homes. Putin's attempt to reconstruct the European map by force elicits soberly profound global implications; the patent violations of international law being enacted by Russia are becoming a point of grave humanitarian concern as the world fretfully watches on from the flanks of war, seeking refuge behind the screens of our digitalised social climate.

So, what do we know about the Russo-Ukrainian War?

Contrary to prevailing presumption, official conflict between the two nations has persisted since 2014.

Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union, but won independence upon its collapse in 1991, forming a self-governing state. Ever since, despite its staunch democratic status remaining intact, the nation has been caught in a tug of warring influence between Russia and it's Western allies.

The Crimean Crisis of 2014:

Former Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, favoured a closer relationship with Russia, rejecting European connections, much to the vexation of the Ukrainian citizenry. Protests broke out across the country, and Yanukovych was consequently removed as president in 2014, provoking Russia's invasion of Ukraine in Putin's fit of displeasure. Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, which was subsequently annexed, and has remained as such ever since.

Present-day conflict; fear of a global war.

As reports of the use of indiscriminate weaponry by the Russian army are ever-prevalent, human rights groups, world leaders and intergovernmental organisations across the globe are urging for all parties to adhere strictly to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), particularly in that civilian lives, homes and infrastructure must be protected.

United States intelligence estimated at least 150, 000 troops had been deployed at Ukraine's border before the official invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, when Russia dismissed all claims of an impending invasion. Days before the invasion, Russia decidedly changed its tune, attesting troops to have been ordered to the breakaway regions of Ukraine to help "maintain peace", a claim the United States swiftly labelled as "nonsense" and a pretext to war.

Currently, with upwards of 137 Ukrainian deaths and 316 wounded individuals, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, called for an "immediate halt" of Russian military action. In the conduct of hostilities, the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions must be fully respected, and all necessary proceedings must be undertaken to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects from the ramifications of hostilities.

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The Legal Contemporary stands in staunch solidarity with Ukraine, urging the discontinuation of hostilities in prevention of further civilian casualties and the paving of a path for dialogue by way of alternative to violence.