In The News

[DoomRulz]

n00b question: what does Russia want with the Ukraine anyway? Are they strategically important like Chechnya?

[Crazy Rich]

Significant Russian speaking population, part of Soviet Union until independence was declared. There were plans for Ukraine to join the European Union, then the president turns around and stops that idea in favour of closer ties with Russia. Thousands protests against it and the presidents friends turn their back on him. One moment he says he'll step down and allow early elections (hence why a different leadership is in place), but then manages to flee to Moscow by helicopter then turns around and says he's still president.

Something like that.

[Kimarhi]

Most countries want territory simply because of assets that are available to them that wouldn't otherwise be there. 

Docks, proximity to other assets, proximity to shipping lanes, ease of access, natural resources, etc.

[Eva]

Putin is most likely putting on this show for domestic politics reasons and boosting his image among the Russian voters. He doesn't care about the Ukrainians or their nation. Soviet/Russian leaders have usually treated the Ukrainians like lesser people, culminating with Stalin murdering millions by simply starving them to death. To put it into perspective, he treated them so poorly that most Ukrainians sided with Nazi-Germany against the Soviets in WW2.

This will be a litmus test to conclusively determine if the Western leaders are any good or indeed completely useless and inept, as I fear they will be after witnessing the whole Syria civil war situation for years now.

[The1PerfectOrganism]

They've always been inept.

[Kimarhi]

So inept they form the bulk of the world's power.

[The1PerfectOrganism]

You throw enough rocks at the side of a barn eventually some hit.

[Rong]

So inept they form the bulk of the world's power.

This

[The1PerfectOrganism]

You throw enough rocks at the side of a barn eventually some hit.

This

[Eva]

So inept they form the bulk of the world's power.

Power is worthless when not accompanied by the determination, will and skill to actually wield it when necessary.

[Rong]

This

THIS

[AliceApocalypse]

This is no litmus test, or any other test.  Russia cares nothing for outsiders and would not waste their time.  Putin does not care about the West, or WWII.   WWII was a long time ago and has nothing to do with Russia (or mostly anywhere) today.

This is about power, Putin is power hungry. It is that simple. 

[The1PerfectOrganism]

I agree, power hungry and Eva is also correct.

[First Blood]

But isn't everybody scared of Russia these days hehe America thinks they are king of the world but really its probably Russia.

[Eva]

This is about power, Putin is power hungry. It is that simple.

Western leaders humiliated Putin by not showing up at the Winter Olympics. Now it's his turn to return the favor by demonstrating to the world how powerless they really are to act in unison when put to the test.

Politics is all about power, nothing else. Always have been.