WKU political science department talks Ukrainian invasion

A Western Kentucky University associate professor talks about Russia’s reasonings for invading Ukraine.

Dr. Roger Murphy says Putin wants a resolution to the Donbass and Crimea conflict. Dr. Murphy says this attack is poorly planned as Russia is meeting stiff resistance from the Ukrainian military and its citizens.

“This is something Russia has feared ever since the break up of the soviet union in 1989.”

A panel held on March 2nd discusses more about the Ukrainian conflict.

Political science professors say the Russian economy will be feeling the repercussions of the sanctions for decades and the common Russian citizens will be impacted the worst.

Correlations about the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia is also commented on. The panel says that Russia feels threatened and that Russia believes that they are entitled to a sphere of influence like the United States has in North and South America.

“Putin feels as if Russia is being suppressed or is under attack when countries become interested in joining NATO or the EU”, one panel member says. “They see it as unfair and a threat that they are not be allowed to advance their sphere or influence.”

To learn more about the WKU political science department, check out their Instagram page @wkupolisci.