Russia-Ukraine Conflict
International Relations
- PYQs7
- Articles1
Background
This conflict serves as a contemporary case study for understanding international relations, the dynamics of geopolitical power struggles, the effectiveness of economic sanctions, and the evolving nature of modern warfare. It has profound implications for global energy security, food supply chains, and the international rules-based order.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began with Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalated into a full-scale invasion in February 2022, represents a major geopolitical flashpoint in Eastern Europe. It involves complex historical grievances, security concerns, and the strategic interests of global powers, significantly impacting international relations and the global economic order.
Facts & tables
- Origin and Escalation
- Began with Crimea annexation (2014), full-scale invasion (Feb 2022).
- Military Tactics
- Ukraine employs drone warfare against Russian energy infrastructure.
- Territorial Control
- Russia controls over 20% of Ukrainian territory since 2014.
- Current Stalemate
- Both nations face significant casualties and economic strain, with no clear military path to victory.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| NATO | Accused of enabling ukraine |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Ongoing conflict since 2014 (Crimea) and 2022 (full-scale invasion).
- Key features: drone warfare, economic sanctions, territorial control.
- Impacts global energy, food security, and international relations.
- No clear military resolution, calls for diplomatic negotiations.
- Highlights challenges to international law and sovereignty.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
Timeline
-
International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Bad for both: On the Russia-Ukraine conflict
A protracted geopolitical conflict in Eastern Europe involving Russia and Ukraine, characterized by territorial disputes, economic warfare, and the widespread use of advanced military technologies like drones, with significant global repercussions.
See also
Past papers
2023–2025 · 4 questions
In the news
Bad for both: On the Russia-Ukraine conflict
A protracted geopolitical conflict in Eastern Europe involving Russia and Ukraine, characterized by territorial disputes, economic warfare, and the widespread use of advanced military technologies like drones, with significant global repercussions.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following pairs :
Country | Reason for being in the news|
|- | -|
|1. Argentina | Worst economic crisis|
|2. Sudan | War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces|
|3. Turkey | Rescinded its membership of NATO|
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
* Argentina - Worst economic crisis: Correct. Argentina has been facing a severe economic crisis for a while, marked by high inflation, debt, and poverty. * Sudan - War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces: Correct. Sudan has been engulfed in a violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. * Turkey - Rescinded its membership of NATO: Incorrect. Turkey has not rescinded its membership of NATO. While there have been tensions between Turkey and other NATO members, it remains a member. _Therefore, only two out of the three pairs are correctly matched._
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement-I: Incorrect. Venezuela continues to suffer from a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and political instability. This crisis has led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries and beyond. Statement-II: Correct. Venezuela indeed possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia. However, despite this vast resource wealth, economic mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions have crippled its oil industry and hindered its ability to leverage this asset for economic recovery.
Consider the following pairs : Area of conflict mentioned in news Country where it is located
1. Donbas : Syria
2. Kachin : Ethiopia
3. Tigray : North Yemen
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
* The Donbas is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. It has two heavily industrialised regions of Donetsk and Luhansk which were occupied by Russian forces last year. Hence, pair 1 is not correctly matched. * Kachin State is the northernmost state of Myanmar. In 2022, Myanmar military air * strikes reportedly killed dozens of people including civilians at a concert in Kachin State. Hence, pair 2 is not correctly matched. * Tigray is Ethiopia's northernmost region. The region is at the centre of an ongoing civil conflict involving ethno-regional militias, the federal government, and the Eritrean military that has attracted the concern of humanitarian groups and external actors since November 2020. In October 2022, the first formal African Union-led peace talks between an Ethiopian government team and Tigray forces happened in South Africa. Hence, pair 3 is not correctly matched.
Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:
I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.
II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.
III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Statement I: Correct
*The 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024 under Russia’s chairship. Russia held the rotating presidency in 2024, and the summit took place from October 22-24 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*Indonesia became a full member of BRICS in January 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian nation and the 10th member of the bloc.* ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
*The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit is "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security." The statement used "Multiculturalism" instead of "Multilateralism," making it incorrect for this question.* Therefore, only statements I and II are correct.
Consider the following pairs:
Country - Important reason for being in the news recently
1. Chad – Setting up of permanent military base by China.
2. Guinea – Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3. Lebanon – Severe and prolonged economic depression
4. Tunisia – Suspension of Parliament by President
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. China has not established any permanent military base in Chad. Pair 2 is correctly matched. Guinean special forces staged a coup, captured President Alpha Conde, replaced governors with the military, and dissolved the constitution and National Assembly. Pair 3 is correctly matched. Lebanon has been experiencing a severe and prolonged economic depression since 2019, driven by political instability, inadequate reforms, and systemic corruption. The economic crisis has affected approximately 74% of the population. Pair 4 is correctly matched. Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the suspended parliament after lawmakers held an online meeting and voted to repeal presidential decrees. He called it a failed coup attempt.
Show 2 more PYQs
Consider the following pairs :
|Regions|Sometime mentioned in news Country |
|-- |--|
|1. Catalonia | Spain|
|2. Crimea|Hungary |
|3. Mindanao | Philippines |
|4. Oromia|Nigeria|
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Catalonia - It is located in Spain. - It is bordered by France and Andorra in the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the autonomous community of Valencia to the south, and the autonomous community of Aragon to the west. The Republic of Crimea - Officially part of Ukraine, lies on a peninsula stretching from the south of Ukraine between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. - It is separated from Russia by the narrow Kerch Strait. Mindanao - It is an island located in the Philippines. - It is surrounded by the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu seas. Oromia - It is a regional state of Ethiopia. - Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in Eastern Africa.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.