After the collapse of the Soviet Union back in 1991, Ukraine had finally gained the independence they were looking for after suffering at the hands of the dictatorial regime. In the past 30 years, the country has been filled with corruption scandals, economic mismanagement, and Russian interference.

Once Putin came into the picture, he had his eyes set on Ukraine.

Ukraine has always historically been a country that Russia wanted to take a hold of. Its geographic location and fertile soil allow for Russia to be able to expand its economy and gain more land.

In 2014, Russia successfully seized Crimea, a region of Ukraine that is mostly ethnically Russian. Later that same year, Russia backed Donbas, a region filled with pro-Russian separatist groups. Earlier this month, Russia officially recognized these regions in Ukraine.