I Am not really arguing or disagreeing with you LHASA 

 I agree the situation is very complex , and very murky , Putin is no Angel , nor Obama a Devil .

 Speaking to my Russian family about this ( i wa smarried to a Russian women , 20 years ago , and we have a son , who has been brought up in Russia , though has a British passport ) 

They say Russians are anti- Amercan by nature , and they applaud Putin for "righting the worngs " , their is a sense , that the Soviet Union was unfairly treated , and particualrly acute is the relationship with Ukraine , where for 300 years there was one country .

 indeed going further back , the Russian people (the Russ " came from Kiew 1000 years ago , and th enations histories have been intertwined .

 Indeed Ukraine must be the most popular holiday destination for Russians . 

 I also see the case that if Russia perceives the west "weak " , thne they may be tempted to try their hand further ?