> But then I read about the history of the conflict and see that Ukraine has had separatist states and civil war for years. Ukraine voted 90+% in favor of inde

> But then I read about the history of the conflict and see that Ukraine has had separatist states and civil war for years. Ukraine voted 90+% in favor of independence from Russia back in the 1991, with 82% of the electorate participating: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Independence_of_Ukraine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Independence_of... Since Putin came to power, he's worked hard to expand Russia's influence outside of it's current borders and back towards it's former USSR or Russian Empire borders. This includes propaganda, instigating rebellions, etc. The "civil war" in Ukraine, started after a pro-Russian President was ousted, and without direct influence over Ukraine, Russia has been fighting a proxy war in the separatist regions. > It isn't like Ukraine is a stable, peaceful, and unwitting nation, like, say, Denmark. Russia is claiming that the people of Ukraine are Russian speaking and historically belong integrated with Russia. It's like Mexico saying they want the Southwest US back. Historically it was part of Mexico, has many Spanish speakers, etc. But where does this stop? What if Italy wants to recreate the Roman Empire or the UK wants to re-establish the British Empire? It's really bizarre to look backwards in time, as there are 30 year olds in Ukraine with kids of their own now who were never alive during the USSR and know nothing but Ukrainian independence. Ideally as a world, we allow people the right to self-determination. But every superpower I can think of throughout history is guilty of influencing (or attacking) foreign countries for political and military advantage and manufacturing any reason imaginable to justify it.