Russia invaded Ukraine; We can’t escape it

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Azrael Wolf, Staff Writer

Russia invaded Ukraine. There, I said it. It happened, ok? We can’t ignore it and pretend it never happened. But why should we care? It’s off in another country 5,000 miles away. Although it’s unlikely, it could mean the deployment of our family members, drafting of high schoolers and potentially major conflict. 

Mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers — anyone who is in the military has the possibility of being deployed. According to CNN, President Joe Biden isn’t deploying anyone to Ukraine to fight, but he is sending troops to Europe to reassure the NATO troops. But if Russia is smart, this probably won’t be the first attack. When you invade and win a country, do you stop there? No! History shows you try to conquer as many countries as you can. The more countries they might invade, the higher our families’ chances of being deployed.

It’s not just our family members; our students have the possibility of being drafted. If this outbreak from Russia escalates to a new level, there’s a chance of that happening, although it’s still unlikely. According to pbs.org, “All male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register for the draft and are liable for training and service until the age of 35.” As the law stands, women can’t be drafted, but many of our male seniors are eligible.

Biden is doing his best to keep the U.S. out of war, but how long may that last? There are plenty of historical examples of the U.S. trying to stay neutral, but a direct attack pushed them into the war. If Russia or another country were to directly attack us, I doubt we could stay out of war for very long.

This isn’t meant to ruin your day or alarm you; it’s meant as food for thought. Be aware of the possible dangers from this attack. We wish this hadn’t happened, but we can’t ignore it, either. We have to face the facts; our friends, family and country are at risk to go to war.

But there are things we can do to prevent it. Join the peaceful protesters who are standing up against Vladmir Putin, and a donation to Ukraine never hurt anyone. The facts are scary, but panicking does us no good. We need to acknowledge this event, but not let it drive us mad. Just do your part, keep cool and remember: Vladimir Putin sucks.