Ukraine/Putin

[timski 80]

Ok free thinkers, how do you think this shit show is going to play out??? I thought I recently heard that the Ukraine was the first to join the newly formed USSR. (back in the day...) 

[riggerrob 558]

The story is long and complicated and depends upon which side you chose to believe.

It all started about 1,000 years ago when some Vikings were invited to rule Kiev and the Ukraine.

Later, Muscovites usurped the Ukrainian tradition and absorbed/stole Ukrainian culture.

Since the Northern European Plain has few natural defenses, Russia has been the path of invasion for more armies than we can count. Over the centuries, Moscow has repeatedly invaded neighbors to increase the size of military buffer zones around Moscow. Over the years, Moscow/Russia/USSR has been repeatedly invaded by Austrians, English, French, Germans, Lithuanians, Swedes, Ottoman Turks, Poles, Prussians, Tatars, etc. As a result of all these invasions, Russia is paranoid about being invaded again. Currently Mr. Poutine fears invasion from Western Europe, specifically NATO.

OTOH NATO - and most Western European leaders - is far too mature to attempt invading Russia AGAIN. The European Community is also reluctant to admit the Ukraine until the country cures its corruption problems. The Ukrainian government has been corrupt since the country gained independence from the USSR circa 1990.

The other issue is that during the height of the USSR, the Soviet Navy maintained massive naval bases on the Black Sea, specifically Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula. Given the Crimea's mild weather, plenty of Soviet sailors retired to the Crimea and grew to out-number Ukrainians (remain skeptical of any statistics). 

Circa 2014, the Russian-speaking minority (again be skeptical about statistics) 

[ryoder 1,380]

Interesting 17m video on Russian history, related to  the 4th paragraph of riggerrob's post:

Johnny Harris: Why is Russia So DAMN BIG?

[Phil1111 905]

Putin wants to be the new Russian tsar. It creates new vassal states to steal from and exploit. It distracts the peasants. Conservative Russians like strongmen. It reinforces the idea that the west is infested with weak liberals.

Declining birth rates, falling real GDP, deteriorating infrastructure and an ageing population are all working against Russia. Creating conflict to distract is the old KGB...er FSB playbook.