A THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE CONFLICT AND ITS IMPACT ON CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL SECURITY

Abstract

This study is concerned with analysing the Russia-Ukraine conflict and its impact on contemporary global security. Anchored on the theory of Offensive Realism in the explanation of the phenomenon under study, the qualitative descriptive-historical technique was adopted which relied on secondary sources of data and content analysis. Findings from the study revealed that the history of the Russia-Ukraine conflict dates back to the Kievan Rus from which both nations emerged, conquest, domination by Russia and Ukrainian independence pre and post-soviet Ukraine; a majority of foreign powers and international organizations such as the United Nations, European Union, condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, imposed economic sanctions, and provided overt and covert military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. It was further revealed that apart from increased refugees epidemic and IDPs, given the importance of Russia and Ukraine in gas, steel and grains supply in the world economy, the war has created a shortage of these important goods thereby heightening global inflation, economic recessing, protests and social upheavals, arms proliferation capable of raising insurrection and further insecurity across countries. The study recommended that parties to the conflict should seek political rather than military solutions to end the war quickly so that the sanctions which have been detrimental to the global economy and security would be eased