Ukraine’s government called it “a full-scale attack from multiple directions.” In the Feb. 24 edition of his newsletter, The Morning, David Leonhardt wrote, “The most significant European war in almost 80 years has begun.” In this lesson, you will learn about this invasion and its implications. Then you will follow the story via live updates as Ukraine and the rest of the world reacts to a military action that threatens serious consequences for the security structure that has governed Europe since the 1990s. For additional background, take a look at our Jan. 26 lesson that helps explain key concepts like the Soviet Union, the Cold War, NATO and more. The Warm-Up, below, uses the same article for reference. A Ukrainian soldier patrolling the front lines in December. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been simmering since 2014.Credit...Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times The Russian invasion will upend the lives of 44 million Ukrainians. But the relevance of Ukraine, on the edge of Europe and thousands of miles from the United States, extends far beyond its borders. Its fate has huge implications for the rest of Europe, the health of the global economy and America’s place in the world. Why might Russia, the United States and Europe care so much about Ukraine? With a partner or in a small group, make as long a list as you can think of. It might help to think about the following questions:
Once you have your list, take a look at the article we used for a Jan. 26 lesson plan, “How the Ukraine Crisis Developed, and Where It Might Be Headed.” Skim it to see how many of the items on your list are mentioned there. What more did you learn? What questions do you still have? Read the article, then answer the following questions: 1. The article begins, “After months of troop and tank buildups, of grim warnings of violence and vague assurances of peace, and of efforts at diplomacy in Washington, the halls of the United Nations and the capitals of Europe, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began early Thursday morning.” Have you been aware of some of this? How much have you been following this story so far? 2. What does the article mean by calling the declaration by President Vladimir Putin of Russia “cynical” when it quotes his description of the invasion as a “special military operation” to “demilitarize” Ukraine but not occupy the country? 3. What is the state of the fighting? How are ordinary Ukrainians being affected? (Deeper answers to these questions, beyond what is in this overview, can be found in the Live Briefing.) 4. Why has Mr. Putin long sought control over Ukraine? What happened in 2008 and 2014 to complicate the situation? 5. Why does the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO infuriate Mr. Putin? (For more information, see this article.) 6. What events, starting last fall, led to the invasion on Feb. 24? 7. Ukraine, the United States and others have condemned Russia’s aggression and dismissed Mr. Putin’s justifications. What have they done in response so far? A Soviet-era statue in Oleksandriya, Ukraine, titled “Knowledge Is Strength” was transformed a few weeks ago to include a Ukrainian flag.Credit...Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times On Feb. 27, we published a forum in which we invited young people to react to the invasion and ask questions. So far over 900 have, and we invite you to add your voice, and to respond to the comments of others. For example, here is how Winn Godier begins a thoughtful set of comments. Can you relate?
To see a roundup of some of the best and most representative of those comments, visit this post. Video Because this is news story that will continue to develop, we recommend following it via these live updates. We also recommend delving into some of the history of the region in order to understand the roots of the invasion. Students might choose an angle that especially interests them, and, via the links below and other news sources, learn as much as they can about it in order to report back to the class. Here is a beginning list:
Video CreditCredit...Ukrainian Presidential Office via Associated PressThere are many worthy groups asking for donations. Here are four standouts. Want more Lessons of the Day? You can find them all here. |