Russia’s War on Ukraine: A Quarter Century of Chaos
It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed since Boris Yeltsin’s surprise resignation as Russian President. I was a young producer in the BBC‘s Moscow bureau at the time, and it marked the start of Vladimir Putin’s rise to power.
Since then, Russia has changed beyond recognition. The country is now waging war on Ukraine, with devastating consequences for both nations. Over 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced, and almost 20% of Ukraine’s territory has been occupied.
Russia too has suffered heavy losses on the battlefield, and its towns and cities are under regular drone attack. Ukrainian soldiers have even occupied a part of Russia’s Kursk region. International sanctions are taking a toll on the Russian economy, and the country’s demographic situation is dire.
I’ve spent years reporting on Putin, and it’s clear that he has undergone significant changes over the past quarter century. Former Nato chief Lord Robertson recently told me: “The Putin I met with… is very, very different from this almost megalomaniac at the present moment.”
One possible explanation for Putin’s transformation is his burning ambition to “Make Russia Great Again”. This drive has led Russia on a collision course with its neighbors and the West. The Kremlin attributes Putin’s actions to a sense of resentment towards the West, which it feels has disrespected and lied to Russia.
But does Putin really believe he has fulfilled Yeltsin’s request to “take care of Russia”? I recently had a chance to ask him at an end-of-year press conference. He replied: “Yes… We’ve pulled back from the edge of the abyss.”