Russia's Talk of War: Even Putin is Joining In

Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials have started using the word "war" to describe the conflict in Ukraine, a shift from the euphemism "special military operation" that had been used previously. The change in language reflects a growing acceptance of the reality of the situation, and may signal a more serious approach to the conflict. The conflict began in 2014 after a pro-Russian president was toppled in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces fighting Ukraine's armed forces.