WAR OF THE WORLD

After weeks of posturing about will we or won't we, Russia launched a massive coordinated attack on February 24, reminiscent of what the German military did to Poland in 1939. That started World War II, but what will this lead to?

- Kenneth Tiven

THE Russian military attack against Ukraine came overnight by land sea and air, with Russian sites and spreading disinformation. There is nothing subtle about the invasion. Across a vast nation, from the east coast to the western border with Poland, reports suggest Russia is shelling virtually every major city in Ukraine, including the capital of Kyiv. "It looks like a blitzkrieg," said one journalist there.

US and Western European leaders were quick to put sanctions on various international connections tying Russian banks to the global economy but refrained from committing troops to help the Ukrainian army fight off the Russians. Neither treaties nor the United Nations can do much to solve this issue now. This approach has been made clear for several weeks and did not deter Russian President Vladimir Putin in any way. Instead, he has made speeches and actions placing the context of the attack on historical Russian governance of the region, dating back through both the Soviet era and to the 18th century.

When it came to sanctions, one can imagine Putin paraphrasing a children's rhyme:

Палки и камни сломают мне кости, Но санкции мне никогда не повредят. Sticks and stones will break my bones, But sanctions will never hurt me.