Putin Bombs Democratic World, Crypto Crashes

The crypto market witnessed a second serious plunge in the last three days after Russian forces launched missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and crossed the country’s northern and southern borders in the early morning today. 

Bitcoin went down by 11% to $34,472 minutes after the air raids and explosions targeted Ukrainian cities. The leading crypto later corrected and sits at around $35,100 at the time of writing.

Ethereum dropped even harder and lost more than 15% of its value within the past 12 hours as it dropped to $2,314 levels. It regained value to $2,380 an hour later, but still is in the biggest lows since January 24.

The global cryptocurrency market lost 8.41% within the past 24 hours and is $1.59 trillion. Asian stock markets and the United States futures reacted accordingly with the sharp declines. Crude oil hit $100 a barrel already.

War Against Democratic West

Russian troops moved into eastern Ukraine territories on Monday, after Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of two Ukrainian regions, which Moscow-backed separatists occupied in 2014.

Tonight at almost 5:55 AM Moscow time Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas territory. His troops crossed Ukrainian borders in multiple directions, and launched missiles hitting Ukraine’s infrastructure minutes later. Various cities including the capital Kyiv suffer explosions. Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with Russia, reported shooting seven Russian fighter jets down. 

Russia went into “unprovoked and unjustified” war against sovereign Ukraine, today told the United States President Joe Biden. 

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the war actions “a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, responded that Europe will not let Putin tear down Europe’s security architecture.

“He should not underestimate the resolve and strength of our democracies. The European Union stands with Ukraine and its people. Ukraine will prevail.”

,she said.

“We are facing a blatant attempt to rewrite the rules of our international system”

, she stated at the Munich Security Conference 2022 last week. 

Von der Leyen said that Kremlin is trying to undermine the entire European security architecture and the UN Charter, where countries agreed to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

The leaders of Eastern NATO countries on borders with Russia and its counterpart Belarus, warn of Putin testing the strength of the whole European region. As Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted today:

“Ukraine is fighting not just for Ukraine, but for us in the region, Europe and everyone in the democratic world. It is our obligation not just to punish Russia for its actions but to help Ukraine with all and every means available. Now.”