The Euromaidan Movement

In 2014, the pro-European Euromaidan uprising shook the pro-Russian Ukrainian government of president Yanukovich, causing deep concern in Russia. Anything calling itself a “spontaneous revolution of the people” challenges the communist “rule of the people by the people.” Revolutions sympathetic to the Euromaidan movement across the Slavic world were abruptly crushed. About 100 protesters were shot in Kyiv, which became ungovernable. The government folded, and Yanukovich went into exile. Pro-Russian counter-protests emerged.

Then, in March 2014, Russia annexed Ukraine.

Let’s leave it there, because it was at around this time that the preparations for war merged into war itself.