To many to name. I think you did a good job. So your saying that because US did these Russia is justified and Ukraine should have just rolled over does the same hold for nazi germany and imperial japan. So what if Ukraine joined NATO. NATO was never going to invade Russia. And the ethnic Russians argument is false. Under Russia and then soviets millions of Ukrainians Latvians Lithuanians and Estonians we killed or displaced and replaced by Russians so by that logic once a majority of areas in the US are Mexican nationals they can hold a referendum? This was an ego economic land grab by Putin. Are the governmentsof either side innocent? No US GOVT is just as corrupt and criminal but that does t justify what Putin did and is doing
“So what if Ukraine joined NATO. NATO was never going to invade Russia.”
Of course you are correct. But what Putin saw was a Ukraine that was moving out of the Russian economic sphere, and into the EU economic sphere. A Ukraine that would become wealthier for its citizens, than Russian citizens. This would shame Putin and Russia.
Putin invaded Crimea to stop Ukraine and Shell oil explorations in the Northern Black Sea. That Ukraine would become an oil and gas supplier to Europe, thus competing with Russia.
Lastly, Ukraine applied for NATO membership, but this was killed by Germany and France. Because they were/are addicted to cheap Russian gas. That they bought at the equivalent of $20/ barrel of oil.