Of course it did -- with a military assault followed by a phony plebiscite, just as Hitler did in, say, Austria.
BarnacleCenturion: "This conflict was caused by the overthrow of the Ukrainian government earlier this year.
Russia is only reacting to defend itself."
Anyone who fanaticizes that Russia itself was somehow threatened by political events in Ukraine is living in a total fantasy world.
Ukrainian politics were merely Putin's excuse for invading Crimea.
BarnacleCenturion: "Is the Russian army in Ukraine right now?"
The Russian army clearly threatens eastern Ukraine, and does anyone doubt that Russian state actors are involved in various quasi-military operations within eastern Ukraine?
BarnacleCenturion: "When the Russian army begins crossing borders and holding territory you might have a point.
Until then the comparisons don’t make any sense."
As I pointed out above, Hitler occupied or invaded five territories before the western allies declared war: Rhineland, Saarland, Austria, Czechoslovakia & Poland.
In historical analogy terms, Putin's invasion of Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) equates to Hitler's moves into Rhineland & Saarland.
Putin's invasion of Crimea equates to Hitler's Anschluss of Austria.
If Putin invades Eastern Ukraine, that will be his version of Hitler's takeover of Czechoslovakia, complete with O'bama playing the Neville Chamberlain role.
Then, what's next?
Is Estonia to be Putin's Poland, the "red line" which triggers another world war?
Why not make it so tough on Putin now, that he won't be tempted to take another bite out of the territory-conquest apple?
“Putin’s invasion of Crimea”
Ok, I give up.
Please post pictures of the Russian ground troops in Crimea.
Also do me a favor and post the latest estimate of the casualty numbers for this “invasion”.
Thanks.