I think I have more to say on this than most people on yahoo. I am married to a Ukrainian who is Russian from the Crimea and my family is 300 miles behind enemy lines. I am also a natural gas pipeline controller. This is over a natural gas pipeline not Russian speaking people. The Russians tried to bypass the Ukraine with an undersea pipeline in the Black Sea but it failed due to all kinds of reasons. So what do you do next? You take over the Crimea and run it over land. Not so easy due to the mountains and you still have a sea crossing. So why do all that when you can take the Trunkline that runs in a region that is mostly speaking Russian people. A Trunkline is a transport pipe. Not sure of the size but I am thinking it is 48' at least. Now with this being in Russian control they can take a small part of Moldova which also in a state of civil war and who want to go back to Russia. Then you really turn the screws on Poland. I swear I think I am the only one who see the big picture.

Putin has ambitions of re-building the old Soviet Union. Ukraine is just the first step in reclaiming the countries. One Ukraine has been taken, Russia is on the borders of six other former Soviet States. Putin believes the rest of the world will be very reluctant to start another World War, by trying to stop him from expanding into those other countries, on the pretext of "protecting Russian ethnics, and Russian interests"

Ukraine NEVER used to be Russia. It only used to be a part of the Soviet Union. Russia's simply trying to deceive everyone, even its own people.

I don't get it either. I am going to follow this just to see if somebody can come up with a reason why Putain wants the Ukraine. At this point, I am thinking it is just an issue of pride. It is Putin saying, I don't care how many die, Ukraine will be mine.

They didnt. That was fabricated by the U.S. There are Russians who volunteered like other foreign fighters, to stop the Ukrainian forces from taking control of their region.

The answers to your question make me laugh.

Glenriven: Putin is speaking for the eastern regions who at one time sought autonomy or independence but are now willing to just settle for some local control. Poroshenko has not been willing to talk to them. I think Putin is fed up with the Euros castigating him when he has only been trying to help eastern Ukrainians against the Kiev barbarian thug government which has killed 2,600 of their own people. A settlement will give Russia rights as well as the Euros/U.S.

Check out video on t his page

http://rt.com/news/184008-gaza-syria-isi...

Most Russian people have relatives in Ukraine. They fight for the brothers and sisters. Russian Army is not involved.

@tyler. If you want to stay respectable person you should show us some result of an investigation which has facts and facts only. Such investigation must be provided by independent side of issue (not Ukraine, not EU, not NATO, not USA). Come on!

Because no one can stop them and because ukraine used to be russia and they dont care what others think.

If Russia controls the Crimea again they'll get control of natural gas going to the middle east and can keep the US in check (like chess) because we can't do much without getting hurt ourselves or our allies getting hurt.

The person who said "Putin has ambitions of rebuilding the old Soviet union" is closest.

It is NOT over a gas pipeline. It would cost far less to produce or pipe their own than to start a war that the whole world opposes.

But here is what very few realize (even most Russians).......Patriarch Kryll of the Russian Orthodox Church has ambitions of expanding 'the Mother country' and Putin has been like a puppet of the Russian Orthodox church for some time now. He is a devout Russian Orthodox and they been 'in bed together' for awhile also. The same Russian orthodox church said to stop letting American's adopt Russian children or they would...quote....'wind up in eternal damnation'. Yeh, messed up.

Thanks for asking.