Originally Posted by
NAROBS
Even after absorbing this info, I still wonder why Russia had to invade Ukraine now, as I understand that Ukrainian membership of NATO is effectively barred by that country having an on going border dispute. The issue was effectively settled when Russia took Crimea and Donbass in 2014. So why go further ?
Any statements about "NATO is closing to Russian borders" thus endangering security of Russia is a mere smoke screen. The real reason is the fact that country after country escaped out of the grip of this shrinking empire. Security is only a secondary thought. The key word is domination. They simply wanted to overthrow current government and install Yanukovich as a puppet leader and renew the old glory step by step.
If you really want to understand the doctrine of Russian imperialism just study the tsar's titles listed in the constitution of 1906, grab the map and locate all the aforementioned duchies, principalities and lands of interest. You will find the territory of many subdued non-Russian nations which simply wanted to escape the empire but in the Russian thinking
it is Russia, period.
Art. 37:
By the Grace of God, We, NN, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod; Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland
, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Chersonese Taurian, Tsar of Georgia
; Lord of Pskov and Grand Prince of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volhynia, Podolia, Finland; Prince of Estland, Livland, Courland, Semigalia, Samogitia, Belostok, Karelia, Tver, Yugra, Perm, Vyatka, Bolgar and others; Lord and Grand Prince of Nizhny Novgorod, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Beloozero, Udoria, Obdoria, Kondia, Vitebsk, Mstislav, and all of the northern countries Master; and Lord of Iberia, Kartli, and Kabardia lands and Armenian provinces; hereditary Sovereign and ruler of the Circassian and Mountainous Princes and of others; Lord of Turkestan; Heir of Norway; Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen, and Oldenburg, and others, and others, and others.
Putin thinks of himself as a successor of tsars and considers any questioning of the original scope of empire as an insult.