THE EVIL OF MODERN WARFARE: RUSSIA INVASION OF UKRAINE

Abstract

Russia invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 in what its President called the ‘Special Military Operation’ – a needless war has had severe consequences on Ukraine, and adversely affected the economy of Russia – thanks to the West and the US. The war led to members of the Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) coming out fully in support of Ukraine. The consequences of NATO involvement in the war, turned what the Russians thought would be a walk in the park and perhaps the annexation of Ukraine as a vassal State of Russia into a full-blown international war. It has lasted over two years. This article employs analytical methods and collates information journals, the internal text books. After a very comprehensive introduction, the article examines the United Nations Charter, with respect to the concept of sovereignty as it concerns Russia invasion of Ukraine, and the provisions of article 51 of the United Nations Charter which empowers a nation to defend itself as a self defence measure or rely on the concept of collective self defence. These provisions may have been the basis of NATO involvement. But there is a danger in this war becoming World War III. The consequences are better imagined as not just Russia and perhaps China on the one side are nuclear countries but over ten NATO members have nuclear weapons. This may have disastrous consequences on humanity and the entire earth.