Since its beginning, almost four months ago, the Russo-Ukrainian War has had many developments and resulted in thousands of deaths. Despite this, the conflict has fallen out of favor on the front page, leaving many of us wondering what’s going on? Just this week, I’ve heard multiple people ask about the status of the war, and all of them receive similar, if not identical responses: status quo. This led me to research ‘what is the status quo?’ and ‘what’s being done to change it?’ Below is a compiled list of recent developments.
- “Widespread use of cluster munitions”(BBC)-Photographic evidence collected by journalists at the BBC and analyzed by weapons experts suggest widespread use of cluster munitions in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Cluster munitions are a type of weapon in which a vessel (oftentimes a missile) opens mid-air and deploys smaller bombs over a widespread area. Due to the unpredictable nature of where the ensuing bombs will land and subsequent high risk toward civilian populations, cluster munitions have been banned by over 120 countries. Amnesty International has linked hundreds of civilian deaths in Ukraine to the use of these controversial weapons.
Source: Voanews.com
- Western support for Ukraine falters-Major players in the Western world like the United States and Great Britain are suffering from the effects of inflation and record high gas prices. Amid these crises, Ukrainian forces have gone somewhat neglected and are in dire need of war supplies such as weapons and ammunition. In spite of this, they have managed to maintain their control over various territories. Unfortunately, the cost of this has been exceptionally high in Ukraine, with over 100 casualties reported every day (NYT).
source: Ktvz.com
- Famine imminent?-This weekend, President Zelenskyy spoke virtually at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s “top defense conference” (CNBC). During his speech, Zelenskyy warned of a “severe food crisis” as a result of the Russian blockade around Black Sea ports. This blockade has prevented Ukraine from exporting essential food items (of which the country is one of the largest producers) such as wheat, grains, and oils. These shortages are expected to impact Asia, Europe, and Africa.
Source: CNBC.com