Whilst Vladimir Putin claimed his invasion of Ukraine was about demilitarisation and de-Nazification of Ukraine, Europe experts refute that as “propaganda”, stating the invasion has been really about capturing prime real estate.
In an interview with The Market Herald Thematica, Australian National University, Centre for European Studies, Research Fellow Dr Sonia Mycak said the invasion fulfilled Putin’s imperialistic ambitions to ‘re-establish a Russian Empire’.
“Ukraine is excellent real estate,” Dr Mycak said.
“It has extremely fertile agricultural land with black soil – nearly a quarter of the world’s most fertile soil is in Ukraine.
“Ukraine is rich in metal and mineral deposits, including coal, iron ore, natural gas, manganese, salt, oil, graphite, sulfur, kaolin, titanium, nickel, magnesium and mercury.
“The east of Ukraine is a steel and iron industrial centre. Ukraine has highly developed heavy industries (aviation and ship building) and a highly advanced technology sector.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an attempt to seize and take control of very valuable territory.”
More than 1000 companies have pulled out of Russia in protest, including BP, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Shell, Starbucks, Prada, Chanel and Unilever.
But despite this, and mounting sanctions, there’s no end in sight for the conflict.
But Ukrainians are incredibly resilient. Farmland is already being de-mined, buildings are already being repaired, and they’re talking investment and business opportunities.
There’s a country to be rebuilt and supply chains with missing links that need to be replaced.
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