World history questions

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/putin-engages-in-test-of-will-over-ukraine.html?hp&_r=0 (Links to an external site.)

(ARTICLE LINK ABOVE)

For this Discussion Board, please read the entire NYT article regarding the Crisis in the Crimea, essentially Russian troops, per Putin (pictures above), moving into and occupying Ukraine. 

Then I want you to REACT.

We have learned a bit about the origins of what would become today's Russia, with a lot more in Unit #4 to come. Based on what we have already learned and your own opinions, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN? WHAT WILL THE ROLE OF THE WORLD, not just the U.S., BE?        

         (you can consider any or all of these, or not and simply write the way you wish to express your thoughts)