Stellenbosch University Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) researcher Dzvinka Kachur on Thursday warned that acceptance of “historical claims” as a reason for military intervention would result in dangerous conflict situations on the African continent.

Kachur was speaking during the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and CST webinar on the Russia-Ukrainian conflict.

She said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s argument for the annexation of Crimea and the eastern regions of Ukraine was based on his understanding of historical claims on territorial integrity and the protection of Russian people.

Last year, Russia gathered more than 100 000 troops on the Ukrainian border on three fronts, threatening to escalate its eight-year hybrid military campaign against Ukraine if the West did not satisfy its security demands to halt the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expansion.

This has triggered a Cold War-type debate around the principles of sovereignty, indivisible security, and the understanding of democracy.

On Thursday war broke out in Ukraine, after Putin announced that he had "decided to conduct a special military operation" to protect eastern Ukraine's Donbas region.

The Ukrainian military claimed on Thursday to have downed five Russian planes and a helicopter in the east of the country near a rebel-held enclave.

Ukraine has ceased diplomatic relations with Russia.

OPPORTUNITY FOR AFRICAN STATES AGENCY

Meanwhile, Kachur explained that this was an opportunity to show that the United Nations (UN) system was proving to be ineffective if the aggressor was one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“This crisis can be used by the Global South to call on China, France, Russia, UK and the US, who receive veto rights based on their importance in the aftermath of World War Two, to redistribute power and bring equality,” she said.

She added that this was the time for African countries to talk about change of the global system and international relations and a more equitably distribution of power.

Kachur said as a result of the conflict the African continent could expect a number of economic challenges, notably an “increase in fuel prices; challenges with grain supply; uncertainty in global markets and . . . a long term detraction of attention from the Sustainable Development Goals.”

This is a good time for African countries to talk about change in the global system and international relations.

US President Joe Biden has announced tough new sanctions on Russia for beginning an invasion of Ukraine, but said there was still time to avoid war.