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So, war broke out in the end! Three weeks ago when the world sent shock waves to the world by massing 100, 000 troops armed to the teeth and heavy war equipment at the border close to the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, Vladimir Putin told the world that the troops were there on military drills, and he had ordered them to return to their barracks. Those who were familiar with war and diplomatic language were skeptical; they did not believe Mr. Putin, the Russian President.

As if to prove the skeptics right, minutes after assuring the alarmed world, 7, 000 additional troops joined those he was purportedly withdrawing to their barracks.

Two weeks ago, the hawkish war monger invaded Ukraine. Reason: He had gathered intelligence reports that Ukraine was eyeing the possibility of joining NATO. Any such membership threatened the security and sovereignty of Russia.

The implication of Ukraine membership of NATO is multi-dimensional, but the most obvious is the Western allies, particularly the United States lining the Ukarian borders with the United States soldiers. Given the suspicious and combustible relationship between the United States and Russia, the latter finds it unacceptable that America should station its troops at its doorstep.

The next thing Russia considers inevitable is to flex its muscle to teach Ukraine a lesson. But the act has gone beyond muscle flexing to a shooting war, firing of missiles and shelling. The latest figure of people who have fled the besieged country as of Tuesday was put at two million. There have been heavy casualties. The destruction of property and edifices is mindboggling. It is ruthless; it is unsparing. There is tit for tat. America and the allies have slammed crushing sanctions on Russia. It has stopped importation of oil and gas from there. Russian has blocked its own exports as well. MacDonald is shutting down; and so are financial institutions. In his State of the Nation address, Joe Biden, the U.S. President said: “Let me be clear, our forces are not engaged and will not engage in conflicts with Russian forces. Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever.” He said that Russian Rubble had already lost nearly a third of its value since sanctions were first levied. As he spoke, according to an online report, a 40-mile convoy of hundreds of Russian tanks and other vehicles were advancing slowly on Kyiv, the capital city of three million people in what “the West feared was a bid by Putin to topple the government of in Ukraine” and install a friendly regime there.

The sight of people stampeding to cross borders to neighbouring countries such as Poland draws tears. And what with an online report showing the picture of the departure of a man bidding his family goodbye! The man broke down weeping when he kissed his child and wife goodbye. The caption to the picture read: “This is a moment a weeping Dad bade goodbye to his child and wife as they leave for a safer place while he stays back because Ukarian between the ages of 18 to 60 are not allowed to leave the country.”

And come to think of it: There is even racial discrimination over who should be allowed to cross borders to safety. Predictably, of course, the world became polarised with commentators who are for Russia and against America or for America and against Russia. There are hardly any soothen words of love and healing. It is all belligerency. The world is not asking how we are seen from Above in all these. Is this the way our world is to be run? Chaos and confusion pervades the world in the quest for regional influence, control of nations and peoples, defining and redefining freedom and unfreedom. Those who have armed themselves with lethal weapons are not too far controlled by national or international forces as the case may be. Posture of impunity is not any more manifested than during war period such as the world is witnessing.

Some of the commentators remind the world of when the United States itself would not brook any threats from her neighbours and talk about invasion America had ordered against other countries such as Vietnam. One begins to wonder if one wrong justifies another wrong.

In the enlightenment of higher knowledge spreading on earth today, thoughts are not free, nor are speeches and actions. Thoughts flowing freely and speeches made without carefulness over the Ukarian –Russian war have serious implications for nations as they do for individuals. It will surprise a great many when they find later that they are linked to the war and to its intensification and invariably to its consequences. As this column has hinted several times, this world is governed by Laws of Nature and ignorance of their nature is not an excuse; it does not prevent the consequences to individuals as well as to nations.