Ukraine is Europe’s second largest country by land mass. It is a land of “wide, fertile agricultural plains, with large pockets of heavy industry in the east”. The country is influenced both by Western Slavic (Central European) culture and Eastern Slavic cultures. The official language is Ukrainian but many citizens also speak Russian fluently. After gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, it has sought greater integration with the West. Russia is threatened by these close ties, justifying seizing Ukrainian territory through the fact that there is a significant Russian minority in the cities and industrialized east. Following the invasion of Crimea in 2014, Ukrainians and their government have adopted a united patriotic agenda against Russian interference. Their president, Volodymyr Zelensky, ran as an anti-establishment candidate, announcing that his top priority would be to end the Moscow-run insurgency in the east . A full scale military invasion was launched by Russia on February 24, 2022, following months of tension between NATO and the Russian government. 

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-180180

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/conflict-ukraine