The topic does not need to drone on and on.
In one very short paragraph:
The Black Sea ports are considered vital to Russia’s military viability. The Russians will do whatever it takes (no limits at all) to keep them.
Thats it.
Period.
Everything else is window dressing.
Everyone who served in the armed forces during the cold war should be able to explain it.
Actually, you have to be pretty damned stupid not to understand the importance of those ports to Russia. The EU appears to have been that stupid in provoking this.
There was no threat to Russia’s port. The issue here is bigger, which is, he needs Ukraine obedience to Russia in order to secure his Eurasian empire dreams.
I think most of us who served during the Cold war were not supporting Russia’s goals for empire and power, most of us still don’t.