Year the horror of the war returned to Europe | Popgen Tech

LONDON (AP) – It was the year war returned to Europe, and few facets of life were left untouched.

Russia’s invasion of its neighbor Ukraine unleashed misery on millions of Ukrainians, shattered Europe’s sense of security, tore up the geopolitical map and shook the world economy. The shock waves have made life more expensive in homes across Europe, exacerbated a global migrant crisis and complicated the world’s response to climate change.

“What are we hearing today? It’s not just rocket explosions, battles, the roar of planes. This is the sound of a new iron curtain lowering and closing Russia off from the civilized world.” – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, February 24.

Russia’s pre-dawn attack on February 24 shattered European peace and shocked the world. The war also confounded the near-universal expectation that Russian forces would quickly prevail. Ukraine put up fierce resistance, and Russian troops stalled on the journey to the capital. Russia withdrew from the area around Kiev in April, leaving behind buildings, traumatized people and hundreds of corpses that Ukraine and its allies say are evidence of war crimes.

Fighting also raged in southern and eastern Ukraine, where Russia has been pushing outward from territory held by pro-Moscow forces since 2014. The port of Mariupol fell after a brutal three-month siege that left the city in ruins.

The war revived Cold War-era hostility between Russia and the West, forcing Sweden and Finland to seek NATO membership and prompting NATO countries to flood troops and weapons into Eastern Europe.

As winter approached, Ukraine’s military – bolstered by weapons, ammunition and training from the US and other allies – pushed Russian forces out of the southern city of Kherson, a morale-boosting victory amid a grinding war that shows no sign of end not shown.

“We … are preparing for the worst winter of our lives.” – Resident of Kiev Anastasia Pyrozhenko, November 20.

As winter approached, Russia launched missile strikes aimed at Ukraine’s infrastructure, temporarily cutting power to parts of the country and leaving millions to face a freezing, dark winter.

The war also sent global energy prices soaring as Moscow pushed supplies to the West in retaliation for sanctions against Russia and support for Ukraine. Italy, Germany and other countries that relied on Russian oil and natural gas scrambled for alternative energy supplies. With millions of people suddenly struggling to pay their energy bills, governments have come under intense pressure to step in with help.

Ukraine and Russia are key global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and – in Russia’s case – fertilizer, and the war has also driven up food prices and raised fears of global shortages. A UN-brokered deal to allow grain ships to leave Ukraine’s Black Sea ports was struck in July and, though shaky, held to avert a worse crisis.

“While states point fingers and blame, lives are lost.” – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the “desperate situation” in the Mediterranean, 24 November.

The war added millions to the world’s grim count of displaced people. According to the UN, more than 14 million Ukrainians have fled their homes, with 7 million taking refuge in other countries.

Meanwhile, nearly 100,000 people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa crossed the Mediterranean in overcrowded and sometimes unseaworthy vessels as the European countries they wanted to reach squabbled over where to go . More than 2,000 people died attempting the journey or were missing at sea.

The English Channel has become another flashpoint as smuggling gangs have packed dinghies and other small boats with people from around the world traveling to northern France in the hope of reaching the UK. More than 40,000 succeeded in 2022. In response, the conservative British government signed an agreement with Rwanda to send people arriving via this route on a one-way trip to the East African country.

Critics called it inhumane and unworkable and launched a legal challenge. Many contrasted the hostile attitude towards the boat migrants with the welcome given to Ukrainian refugees.