Useful information - Ukraine/Russia
4th Mar 2022
Tips for parents
1 Don’t try to turn off the news when there is bad news. Sadly, in the technological world in which we live, adults are no longer in control of how children access information. News comes at us 24 hours a day from dedicated news channels, radio, the internet, and newspaper headlines. Even if you manage to shield your children from all of that, things that happen in the news will be talked about in the school playground or lunch hall. Better that your child is armed with the real facts than hearing exaggerated, second or third-hand versions. Information is better than misinformation.
2 Even if your child doesn’t mention bad news, don’t assume they are not troubled by it. They may be worrying quietly inside. Explain simply what has happened, taking care not to use sensationalised words that tend to be used by the national press.
3 First News covers good and bad news in the paper and on our daily online news channel, First News Live! Use our content, made especially for children, as a platform to talk to children about the news. It is always created to explain what has happened but to offer reassurance, too.
4 Remind them that there is much more good news than bad news happening. And that there are many more good people than bad people.
5 Reassure them that they are safe here in the UK. And that there are lots of security and defence experts working hard to settle the issues in Ukraine. Tell them that this hasn’t just happened out of nowhere and read our explainer with them. Knowledge is power.
6 Remind children that the best way to stay safe is to take care in their own daily lives. Children are more likely to have an accident in their own home than when they are out and about.
7 Hold them a little bit closer and for a little bit longer.
UKRAINE- WHAT’S GOING ON?
RUSSIA has invaded Ukraine and started a war. Why did they do that and what’s going on?
Why is Ukraine in the news?
Late last year, Russia began positioning around 100,000 soldiers on its border with Ukraine. In recent weeks, more Russian troops
began gathering in Belarus, which is a Russian ally (friend). Western country leaders were worried the Russians were preparing for
a possible invasion of Ukraine. Now that has happened. But why?
Why is Russia sending troops there?
Russia says it wants to know Ukraine won’t join NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation). NATO is an international
organisation which guarantees the freedom of its member countries. Russian president, Vladimir Putin, thinks that if Ukraine joins,
it will give the USA and its allies (supporters) too much power right next to their borders. Russia has also demanded NATO
removes all troops from Bulgaria and Romania.
NATO members and other countries are against the invasion of Ukraine. They argue that Ukraine should be free to do what it
wants and Russia shouldn’t interfere. Western leaders say if Ukraine wants to join NATO, it should be free to do so.
Also, thousands of Russian people who don’t agree with President Putin’s decision to go to war have been protesting in cities
across the country.
Are world leaders trying to resolve the crisis?
Yes. There have been talks between Russia, the USA and other countries to try to stop the conflict. The UK, EU and other
countries are making it tough for Putin by bringing in sanctions. Sanctions are penalties that one country gives to another one that
is behaving badly. Sanctions usually make it difficult for a country to make money so it can’t carry on as normal.
Where is Ukraine?
Ukraine sits between Russia and the central European countries of Romania, Slovakia and Poland. To the north is Belarus.
From 1919 until 1991, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union (also known as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics – USSR). This
was a giant country formed after the Russian Revolution began in 1917. In total, it was made up of 15 states. All of them became
independent when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. These former Soviet states include Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and
Kazakhstan.
Russia was the biggest power inside the Soviet Union. Many Russians lived and worked in other Soviet countries. There are still
large Russian communities in many of these countries, including Ukraine.
What was the Cold War?
The Soviet Union was very powerful. After the Second World War, another global conflict began, known as the Cold War. But this
wasn’t a normal war. The main countries involved didn’t fight each other, but there was always tension because both sides feared
the other would try to invade them or, worse, launch a nuclear war and wipe them out.
The Cold War saw the Soviet Union and many eastern European countries, like Poland and Hungary, pitted against NATO which
included the USA, Canada, UK, and other western European countries, like France and West Germany.
The Cold War ended in 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed.
But isn’t NATO still in existence?
Yes, very much so. Although it was set up at the start of the Cold War, NATO didn’t break up when the conflict ended. In fact, it
has expanded.
In 2004, former Soviet states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined NATO. Russia was not happy about this. It meant that an
organisation that it considered an enemy now had troops on its eastern border.
The decision to allow former Soviet states to join NATO also upset Russia because, back in 1990 and 1991, many western leaders
assured the Russians they would not look to expand NATO eastward.
What happened to Ukraine after the Cold War?
Since it became its own country after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine has mostly been quite friendly towards Russia. But
some Ukrainians want to be closer to the European Union and to join NATO.
When an uprising in early 2014 forced the pro- Russian president of Ukraine to quit, it seemed the country might change direction
and become very pro-Western. Putin acted fast, and sent in Russian soldiers to take control of Crimea. This region of southern
Ukraine used to be part of Russia. It remains under Russian control today.
Russia also sent its troops to support pro-Russian rebel fighters in their war against Ukrainian government forces in the eastern
part of Ukraine. This conflict, which began in 2014, is ongoing.
There are many Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine who prefer to be close to Russia, not the West. But western leaders say that is no
excuse for Russia to wade in and support a war.
Every week, First News will help you to make sense about what is going on in Ukraine. You can also watch FYI, the Sky Kids
children’s news show, at first.news/educationTV to find out more.
If you are worried, speak to an adult
Ukraine explainer First News