February 24, 2022 has joined both December 7, 1941 and July 28, 1914 in history as the somber beginnings to devastating wars. Russia, after a broadcast from President Putin, invaded Ukraine after months of buildup and warnings from Western Intelligence that a full scale invasion was imminent. This war has been condemned by President Biden and his sentiments are shared by every other Western European leader.

A myriad of sanctions have been placed against Russia. Europe heavily relies on oil and natural gases from Russia and the boycotts of their exports is theorized to lead to an energy crisis. Though Russia is only the United States’ fourth largest energy provider, the economic repercussions will still be grim.

The refugee crisis is expected to only worsen. Surrounding countries have been forced to allow an excess of people seeking asylum.

The Students for Refugees club has already expressed its intention to help the growing problem. President Ulysses Conrad, a senior, said, “The people in Ukraine are facing terrible injustice and we aim to raise awareness, as well as funds, for their assistance.”

Although it may seem like the war is on the other side of the world, there is still much that students can do. Educating yourself about the intentions of Russia, donating to humanitarian organizations, and reaching out to those that may feel overwhelmed by the connotations of this war are all progressive options.

Keeping up to date with news on the war has never been so possible. Sources like TikTok have brought the crisis to the forefront of people’s social media pages. Videos and images can be doctored, so keep a look out for confirmed images from trusted news sources.