KYIV, Ukraine — Feb. 24, 2022: Tanks and soldiers don large white Zs on their equipment, marching into villages carrying the Russian flag. This was the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war, which was the largest ground invasion in Europe since World War II This invasion may seem sudden and unprecedented, but this conflict has been growing and progressing for years since 2014.

As Los Alamitos High School students may recall from their world history classes, Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire but did not gain much independence until the Russian Revolution in 1917. The communist Bolshevik party took control of Ukraine, creating the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Ukraine was part of the USSR until 1991 after its collapse. Ukraine then became a buffer state between the new Russian Federation and NATO, an alliance between Western Europe and the United States. Its geographical location put Ukraine in a difficult position between the two powers. 

Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, was a man who craved power and took advantage of government loopholes to take full control of Russia. In 2014, he captured the Crimean peninsula, which was a part of Ukraine. In 2022, the Russian government, led by Putin, decided to invade Ukraine with large ground forces, causing Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since WWII. Europe and the U.S. condemned Russia’s actions and put sanctions on Russia causing the Russian ruble to become worthless. 

“We need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war. He is in our territory. That’s most important to understand. He is in our territory,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said in an article from The Hill.

Many in the U.S. are very conflicted about U.S. involvement in the war, according to the Pew Research Center. The U.S. has taken on a significant role in supporting Ukraine through financial aid and military equipment. Some Americans fear that the country is focusing too much on a foreign nation, others think the U.S. is providing the right amount of aid and others believe it isn’t enough.

“I truly believe we’re at another inflection point in world history. The choices we make today will determine our future,” President Joe Biden said in an NBC article. 

Each side is trying its best to survive this war of attrition, especially the civilians on both sides who have been impacted the most by this war. Many charities and organizations do humanitarian work for Ukraine and are trying to help with the war, and LAHS students can contribute by joining Teens for Ukraine, a club on campus. 

Teens for Ukraine help make an inclusive environment for teen refugees. Dasha Fallon is the LAHS junior who founded the club because her family has ties to the conflict in Eastern Europe.

“My mother lived in Russia most of her life, so many of her close family and friends were deeply affected by this war, therefore affecting me and my family,” Fallon said.

For many, moving to a new country across the world is very difficult, especially leaving one’s home behind to escape war. Teens for Ukraine try to make the move easier by creating meaningful relationships with youth refugees from Ukraine. However, the club is open to anyone who is a refugee or willing to help the club’s cause.