> I dont think Russia was threatened by Ukraine, but NATO and more specifically the US. Russia was threatened by EU actually. The initial 2013 crisis, Crimea /

> I dont think Russia was threatened by Ukraine, but NATO and more specifically the US. Russia was threatened by EU actually. The initial 2013 crisis, Crimea / Donbas invasions happened as a consequence of EU association agreement which was pulling Ukraine away from Russia. Russia isn't threatened in the sense that NATO will invade Russia proper - the nukes pretty much guarantee that can't happen. NATO / EU are "invading" what Putin considers to be Russia's sphere of influence. In case of Ukraine, Putin plans/planned to unite Russia, Ukraine and Belarus into one country - the creeping integration of Belarus serves as a template.