“One of those impossible expectations was that Russia would walk away from Crimea.”
Ukraine did nothing to prevent or stop the Russians from using the naval yards in Crimea. There was no geo-strategic reason to annex it.
They have merely won a temporary battle in annexing Crimea. Strategically, Russia is isolating itself as a rogue nation and strengthening NATO, pushing nations into stronger ties with NATO and putting them closer to the Western orbit.
Putin is no chess master, this is an epic disaster for Russia in the long term.
“this is an epic disaster for Russia in the long term.”
How so?
This is pushing Russia and China closer together, faster, while the west is in a visible decline.