Why Ukraine is trapped in endless conflict

The ceasefire is completely ignored.

Correction: In a previous version, the Russian Empire at 2:31 did not include Finland and northern Kazakhstan and at 2:34 the map mistakenly depicted the Warsaw Pact members, not the Soviet Union.

At 2:03 the Minsk II agreement refers to the separatist enclaves as "certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine" not the DPR and LPR.

Sources:
Russian Empire: https://www.loc.gov/item/2015591079/
Soviet Union: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g7001f.ct001572/

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The present conflict in Ukraine started in 2014. Today, there are 100,000 fighters stationed in the country, making it one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world. In Ukraine's east, Ukrainian forces are engaged in a struggle with Russian-backed separatists.

A ceasefire was called in 2015, with a security zone established that was meant to foster peace. However, today the security zone remains one of the most violent places in the Ukraine. With over 10,000 deaths to date, and over 1.5 million civilians displaced, the cost of ignoring the ceasefire continues to mount by the day. And both sides are still building up their forces.

To truly understand the international conflicts and trends shaping our world you need a big-picture view. Video journalist Sam Ellis uses maps to tell these stories and chart their effects on foreign policy.

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