[WORD_ON_THE_WEB] 'We're already at war with Covid-19'

The Russian government has begun to withdraw embassy staff from Ukraine after building up its military presence along the country's border, heightening concerns that an invasion could be imminent.

The Russian government has begun to withdraw embassy staff from Ukraine after building up its military presence along the country's border, heightening concerns that an invasion could be imminent.

According to Politico, U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin as early as Wednesday. Russia has denied the report, with Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov saying that the United States was responsible for spreading rumors. Biden spoke to Putin in an hour-long phone call on Saturday, but according to reports, the conversation didn’t end with a solid resolution.

Considering the situation, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has banned travel to Ukraine and strongly advised all Korean citizens to leave the country immediately.

#already_at_war “We need peace, not war. We’re already at war with Covid-19. It makes no sense to fight each other now.” “Are they out of their minds? Innocent bystanders are always the ones to get hurt in a fight. A decision made by only a few could kill countless civilians who have done nothing wrong."

#the_solution_is_dialogue “If war breaks out, it could spread globally like wildfire. We should stop this from happening for world peace.” “War between great world powers can lead to WWIII in the blink of an eye. I hope they find a solution through dialogue and negotiation.”

#the_cold_truth “This is the cold truth of the world, people with power decide everything. I just hope there aren’t civilian casualties.” “The world has always been at the hands of a few powerful people. History is proof of this. If war breaks out, it will just be the same story all over again. The thought makes me really bitter.”

BY LEE SI-YEOUNG, YOO JI-WOO [yoo.jiwoo@joongang.co.kr]