Hitler already recognized that Ukraine is a) strategically very important due to its location, ie Black sea, gateweay to balkan and rest of Europe and b) has su

Hitler already recognized that Ukraine is a) strategically very important due to its location, ie Black sea, gateweay to balkan and rest of Europe and b) has super fertile 'cernozem' (black earth would be direct translation). Plus quite a bit of industry, mostly post-soviet (well that one may be destroyed now). Already soviets did this with warsaw-pact countries (poland, czechoslovakia, hungary) - shield against western europe, a battlefield where WWII was supposed to be fought. Invaded these countries that are not even close to russia and kept their iron hand above (and large military bases).