Russia's desire to control Ukraine: Russia has long viewed Ukraine as part of its sphere of influence. In 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, and it has been supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine ever since. The war in Ukraine is seen by many as Russia's attempt to bring Ukraine back under its control

Ukraine's desire to join NATO: Ukraine has expressed a desire to join NATO, which is a military alliance of 30 countries. Russia sees NATO as a threat to its security, and it has warned Ukraine against joining the alliance. The war in Ukraine is seen by many as Russia's attempt to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.

The Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity: In 2014, Ukraine underwent a revolution that overthrew the pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovych. The revolution was supported by the United States and the European Union, and it led to a closer relationship between Ukraine and the West. Russia saw the revolution as a threat to its interests, and it responded by annexing Crimea and supporting the separatists in eastern Ukraine

NATO expansion: NATO has expanded eastward since the end of the Cold War, and Russia has viewed this expansion as a threat to its security. Russia has argued that NATO is moving too close to its borders, and it has warned NATO against expanding further. The war in Ukraine is seen by many as Russia's attempt to prevent NATO from expanding further.

The rise of nationalism in Russia: In recent years, there has been a rise of nationalism in Russia. This nationalism has been fueled by a sense of grievance about the collapse of the Soviet Union and the perceived decline of Russia's status in the world. The war in Ukraine is seen by many as a manifestation of this Russian nationalism