[The_Victor]

Eff Russia— if she tries directly intervening, the bear will be biting off a lot more than it can chew.

Who's going to stop Russia if they do roll in?

0bama? the EU? Ukrainian armed forces?

[dfwgator]

Where’s Marshall Pilsudski when we need him?

[pierrem15]

The Ukrainians-- they are ready to die: the snipers Yanukovich deployed just pissed them off. Any direct Russian intervention would also be opposed by the Ukrainian military; or, at least large chunks of it.

The Ukrainian fleet is harbored right next to the Russian fleet at Sevastopol-- all it would take would be a couple of Ukrainian cruisers firing point blank to cause massive damage.

Russia could undoubtedly 'win' in the end, but the cost would be massive, and would also probably involve loss of access to Western markets and cash.

The bigger danger to Ukraine are 'separatists' funded by Moscow and aided under the table with weapons or Russian special forces.