I think it's a good part of the motive. The reason I think so is that we were unusually assertive in a place that we have traditionally left the Russians alone to deal with as they wish. Ultimately we supported a free election because we support freedom, but let's face it... we don't hold this standard consistently. What explains why Ukraine why now? Russian behavior provides what I judge to be the best explanation.
We didn't support free elections in Azerbajan, but the dictator's son (by the way Aliev a former KGB Internal Affairs General -- the people who shot people) worked well for the CIA so his son was allowed to cheat to get "elected". There were massive protests.