Political Map of the Russia-Ukraine Crisis (2022/02/20)

Project description:

This map is a quick visual representation of the current geopolitical climate in the wake of skyrocketing tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The map shows that Ukraine is effectively surrounded on three sides by the hostile states of Russia and Belarus in the North and Northeast, the separatist regions in the East, the Russian occupied Crimean peninsula in the South, and by an unrecognized republic known as the Transnistria, or the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, in the Southwest. Ukraine is caught in the crosshairs and bracing for conflict with many of its major cities including its capital of Kyiv in grave danger.

This map was created in QGIS using open-source spatial data from many different sources online and then exported as a GeoPDF before being edited in Inkscape to include country flags, labels, and a title. As it stands, this map can serve as a template for further edits that could include an estimation of Russian troop movements or position and size. However, given the nature of the conflict, many geographic facts presented in the map may be subject to change as the situation changes. Indeed, for people living in Russia, this map is already outdated as of 2022/02/21 with President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Update: (2022/03/11)

Following several spontaneous missile strikes, artillery barrages, and aerial bombardments, Russian forces officially entered Ukraine on February 24th 2022. The situation appears dire for Ukrainian forces and civillians who are being turned into refugees or worse by the hour. The Russian advances have largely stalled in the face of fierce resistance, but nonetheless press forward while sustaining heavy losses. Estimates of the carnage vary tremendously, with some reports estimating up to 12,000 Russians killed in combat and equally staggering numbers of innocent lives lost. Inside Russia, anti-war protests continue to swell in Moscow and St. Petersberg with thousands being arrested. International condemnation and severe sanctions have already exacted a tremendous toll on Russia’s economy and led many companies to pull out of the country or deny services to the Russian people. Despite this, Russian President Vladimir Putin sees no alternative but to double down with attacks on civillian neighborhoods and threats of nuclear retaliation against NATO. The fate of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people hangs in the balance. As the world watches these events unfold, we can only hope for an end to the violence to come soon.