![A Russian soldier on March 16, 2022, in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 12, 202](https://assets.kyivindependent.com/content/images/2024/12/GettyImages-1239934838.jpg)
Why the West misunderstood Russia’s initial assault on Ukraine
On July 17, 2014, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17, a commercial plane flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, shocked the world. The crash claimed the lives of all 298 passengers and crew, including 80 children. It marked a significant escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine that had