Brewers Droop, yes the west tends to bomb/invade a country, level it, then create some puppet government/regime then leave. Maybe if Moscow had called the Ukraine mission ''Operation Ukrainian Freedom'' and if they had gone in with large numbers of forces like the US in Iraq, then after about a year or so Bush, sorry I mean Putin could land on the Russian carrier in the Black Sea wearing a flight suit, the carrier could be covered in banners saying '' Mission Accomplished''
Then Russian forces could leave safe in the knowledge their puppet government would do their bidding and no annexing of territory would be needed. Maybe the west would be ok with this as they have done the same in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya! (Though actually the puppet governments in Afghanistan and Iraq have asked western forces to remain albeit in reduced numbers, mighty convenient that! (Actually I am sure the west would oppose this to, after all, its only they who can go around the world and engage in general and reckless warmongering!