It was early. February 24, 2022, felt like one of those dates that sticks in your throat before you even process what’s happening. Missiles started hitting Kyiv. People were waking up to explosions, not alarm clocks. If you’ve spent any time looking at a map of Eastern Europe lately, you’ve probably asked the big one: why did Putin attack Ukraine? There isn’t just one answer. It’s a mess. Honestly, it’s a lethal cocktail of imperial nostalgia, deep-seated paranoia about NATO, and a very specific version of history that Vladimir Putin has been writing in his head for decades.
To understand the "why," you have to stop looking at it as a 2022 problem. You have to look at 1991. Then 2004. Then 2014. It’s a sequence of events that built up like steam in a pressure cooker until the lid finally blew off.
The NATO Expansion Fear
Russia has always been obsessed with its "near abroad." To the Kremlin, Ukraine isn't just a neighbor; it’s a buffer. For years, the Russian leadership has watched the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) creep eastward. They saw Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic states join. To Putin, this wasn't about sovereign nations choosing their own security paths. He saw it as a hostile encirclement.
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Basically, he views NATO as a Cold War relic designed to dismantle Russia. In his 2007 Munich Security Conference speech—which everyone should probably re-read—he was already shouting about this. He warned that the expansion was a provocation. When NATO signaled in 2008 that Ukraine and Georgia "will become members," a red line was crossed in Moscow.
Putin argued that having high-precision Western missiles or NATO troops on his doorstep was an existential threat. Imagine if Russia formed a military alliance with Mexico and started placing "defensive" hardware in Tijuana. That’s the exact analogy Russian state media uses to explain why they felt they had to move first.
But here is the thing: NATO wasn't actually on the verge of letting Ukraine in. In 2022, there was no consensus among member states. Ukraine had massive corruption issues to fix and a literal territorial dispute in Donbas that made membership a pipe dream. Putin knew this. So, was NATO the real reason, or just the best excuse?
That 5,000-Word Essay
In July 2021, Putin did something weird. He published a long, rambling essay titled "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians." It’s a dense read. He essentially argued that Ukrainians and Russians are "one people" and that Ukraine’s sovereignty is a fluke of history—a mistake made by the Bolsheviks.
He hates Lenin for giving Ukraine its own republic status within the Soviet Union.
When you read that essay, the answer to why did Putin attack Ukraine becomes much clearer. It wasn't just about security. It was about identity. He views the collapse of the USSR as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century." To him, Ukraine is the crown jewel of the Russian Empire. Without it, Russia is just a country; with it, Russia is an empire.
He basically believes Ukraine is a "fake" country being used by the West as an "Anti-Russia." He thinks he's performing a historical correction.
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The Maidan Revolution and the 2014 Pivot
The year 2014 changed everything. Ukrainians took to the streets in the "Revolution of Dignity" (Maidan) to oust their pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych. He fled to Russia. To Putin, this wasn't a grassroots movement for democracy. He saw it as a CIA-backed coup.
He panicked.
If Ukraine could overthrow a corrupt, pro-Moscow leader, could Russians do the same to him? That fear of "Color Revolutions" is a huge driver of Russian foreign policy. He immediately responded by seizing Crimea—the first time a European power grabbed territory from a neighbor since WWII—and sparking a separatist war in the Donbas region. For eight years, that conflict simmered. It killed over 14,000 people before the full-scale invasion even started.
The "De-Nazification" Narrative
You’ve probably heard the term "de-nazification" thrown around by the Kremlin. It sounds insane to Western ears, especially since President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Jewish and lost family in the Holocaust. But inside Russia, this narrative is powerful.
The Kremlin points to far-right groups like the Azov Regiment. While these groups do exist and have problematic histories, they represent a tiny fraction of the Ukrainian military and have zero political power in the parliament. But for Putin, the "Nazi" label is a psychological trigger. It evokes the Great Patriotic War (WWII). By calling Ukrainians Nazis, he’s trying to tell his people that this isn't an unprovoked land grab—it’s a holy war against an old enemy.
Demographics and the "Great Power" Dream
There’s a quieter reason, too. Russia is shrinking. Its population is in a nosebleed dive, and its economy is heavily reliant on oil and gas. Putin is 71. He’s thinking about his legacy. He doesn't want to be remembered as the guy who let the Slavic heartland slip away.
He wants to be Peter the Great.
If he could bring Ukraine back into the fold, he’d secure millions of people, massive agricultural resources (Ukraine is the "breadbasket of Europe"), and a strategic land bridge to the Black Sea. It’s an old-school 19th-century land grab disguised as a 21st-century security operation.
Why the 2022 Timing?
Why then? Why not 2018 or 2024?
- The West looked weak: The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan suggested the U.S. was tired of war.
- European dependence: Germany and the EU were hooked on Russian gas. Putin thought they wouldn't risk freezing in the winter to save Kyiv.
- Modernization: Russia had spent a decade "modernizing" its military. They thought they could take Kyiv in three days. They were wrong.
- COVID Isolation: Reports suggest Putin became increasingly isolated during the pandemic, listening only to a small circle of "yes-men" who told him Ukrainians would greet Russian tanks with flowers.
Real-World Impact: What Most People Miss
The war hasn't gone to plan. Instead of a quick victory, it’s a war of attrition. Russia has lost hundreds of thousands of men (killed or wounded) and has become the most sanctioned country on earth.
For Ukraine, the "why" doesn't matter as much as the "what." What has happened is the displacement of millions, the destruction of cities like Mariupol and Bakhmut, and a total shift in European security. Neutral countries like Finland and Sweden actually joined NATO because of the invasion. Putin wanted less NATO; he got more.
He wanted to erase Ukrainian identity. Instead, he forged it in fire. Nothing makes people feel more Ukrainian than being attacked for being Ukrainian.
Moving Forward: Actionable Insights
If you’re trying to stay informed or help, here is how to navigate the noise:
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1. Fact-Check Your Sources
Russian state media (like RT or Sputnik) and fringe social media accounts often push the "NATO started it" narrative exclusively. Balance this with reports from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) or investigative outlets like Bellingcat.
2. Follow the Money
Sanctions are the West's primary weapon. Keep an eye on the "Shadow Fleet"—oil tankers Russia uses to bypass price caps. This is how the war is actually being funded.
3. Support Humanitarian Efforts
The civilian toll is staggering. If you want to make a difference, organizations like United24 (the Ukrainian government’s official platform) or the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are on the ground providing direct aid to those displaced by the fighting.
4. Understand the Long Game
This isn't ending next week. This is a systemic shift in the world order. Whether it’s energy prices at your local gas station or the risk of nuclear escalation, the reasons why did Putin attack Ukraine will continue to shape global politics for the next thirty years. Stay skeptical of "simple" peace plans; the history here is deep, bloody, and incredibly personal for both sides.