Putin Declares War on Ukraine. What Is Behind the Invasion?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked one of the biggest security crises in Europe since World War II by invading Ukraine, with barrages of missiles and artillery accompanying troops as they entered the country from multiple directions.

Putin said he acted to protect civilians in separatist regions from Ukraine’s military, though there was no evidence they were under any threat. The U.S. and European allies had warned for weeks that their intelligence showed Moscow planned to create a false justification for war.