On Thursday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Russia had no choice but to intervene in Ukraine. "The United States and its allies have crossed all possible lines in their drive to bring Kiev into their orbit," he told a security conference in Moscow. "That could not have failed to trigger our reaction." Citing the West's military actions in Serbia, Libya, and Iraq, Shoigu argued that the "vehement critics of Russian actions in Crimea surely have no moral right to accuse us of violating international law." Russia annexed Crimea after a stealth occupation of the peninsula.
Russia contends that the U.S. is set on world domination, trying to turn Eastern Europe specifically by orchestrating the "color revolutions" that have toppled several pro-Moscow leaders in the past decade. Ukraine, where an estimated 6,000 people had died in fighting between Kiev loyalists and Russia-back militias, is "the biggest tragedy in the chain of color revolutions," Shoigu said. "How many more casualties are needed to force Ukrainians living in the east to feel 'Europeans'?" That depends in part on people like Shoigu.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How to decide on the right student loan repayment planThe explainer President-elect Donald Trump seems unlikely to approve more student loan forgiveness, so you may want to consider other options
-
Crossword: January 15, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Sudoku medium: January 15, 2025The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red SeaSpeed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacksspeed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages releasedSpeed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs saySpeed Read
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?Speed Read
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign portSpeed Read
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'Speed Read
