In February 2014, Russia seized and annexed Crimea; a few weeks later, Moscow launched its no-longer-covert hybrid war against Ukraine in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. It is now 2017 and the situation remains relatively unchanged. The conflict in the east is at a standstill, no side has a clear advantage, and it appears that Crimea will remain in Russian hands for the foreseeable future. This current situation benefits Russia, as it seeks to destabilize the Ukrainian government through a low-intensity war that does not provoke a strong reaction from the West. While Western-levied sanctions have had an impact on the Russian economy, they have not sufficiently persuaded the Russians to cease arming and supplying troops to the separatists.
Russia's War Against Ukraine
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A soldier aims with a machine gun at a military encampment near the city of Bakhmut on July 29.
