"The Kremlin is convinced the United States is laying the groundwork for regime change in Russia, a conviction further reinforced by the events in Ukraine," the report says, referencing the claims by President Vladimir Putin's government that the U.S. engineered the popular uprising that ousted Ukraine's Russia-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovich, in 2014. Russia responded by annexing Ukraine's Crimea region and supporting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine."

https://www.businessinsider.com/repo...C%20in%202014.

Why Putin had to act in brief:

Russia was almost hemmed in by NATO missile bases, who could have easily shot down any ICBM launched from Russia. As such Russia was at a massive strategic disadvantage due to these expanding NATO bases encroaching upon its borders. Since the end of the cold war and the collapse of the USSR, NATO has expanded toward Russia's borders in three separate waves. Violating agreements with Russia not to expand.

Russia then developed hypersonic nuclear missiles in response to the NATO threat, missiles which cannot be easily shot down, and as shifted the advantage back to Russia. Putin knows that it is only a matter of time before the U.S. develops its own hypersonic missiles (probably within 2 years) and so only has a narrow window of opportunity before NATO catches up with Russia.

The Russian introduction of hypersonic nuclear missiles is a gamechanger that is preventing NATO from attacking Russia at this moment in time.

If Ukraine joined NATO it would be game over for the existence of Russia itself. Because Moscow would then be just five minutes striking distance from any NATO missile attack. Meaning Russia would be defenceless in the event of a nuclear first strike.

The current Ukrainian government is a puppet regime installed by Washington after the CIA funded the Ukrainian revolution of 2014 to the tune of $5.5Billion. Replacing the pro-Russian Ukrainian government with a NATO friendly leadership.

Putin pleaded with Ukraine leaders to come to their senses. But Ukrainian intransigence due to pressure from Washington meant Putin had no choice but to attack Ukraine. In doing so, as serious as this war is, Putin is attempting to prevent a nuclear war between NATO and Russia. Because if Ukraine joined NATO, then it would be too late. A nuclear war would be the last form of defence left to Russia which would leave no winners but only the extinction of life on this planet. As a Russian orthodox Christian, Putin remarked: "We’re Going to Heaven, But You Lot… You Won’t Even Have Time to Repent."

During the crisis leading up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it was clear the U.S. wanted Russia to invade in order to impose crippling sanctions on the regime. The purpose of the sanctions from a geopolitical standpoint is to encourage a regime change with the ultimate goal of the breakup of Russia itself into three smaller states. This would then make it much easier for the West to steal Russia's natural gas and oil reserves.

The Russian leadership is well aware of what is at stake here. But still decided to invade Ukraine, because the West intended to impose sanctions one way or another.

By imposing new sanctions on Russia, the West have pushed China and Russia further together. This new Sino-Russian military and political alliance could very well erupt into WW3.

By reluctantly invading the Ukraine after eight years of terrorist provocation by Ukrainian neo-Nazis encouraged by Washington, Putin's military strategy is to decapitate the Washington allied regime in Kiev, and replace it with a NEUTRAL Ukrainian government exclusively for the people of Ukraine, and not as an instrument to further United States hegemony through NATO expansion.

In addition to securing Ukrainian neutrality he also intends to secure the Russian speaking peoples of the Donbas region into Russia, while ensuring the independence of the Ukraine which must remain neutral in respect to Russia's legitimate security concerns of NATO encroachment.

If somehow Putin fails to achieve these reasonable goals, due to western interference, the response from Russia will be the nuclear annihilation of all NATO countries.