David Martin wrote:
Ukraine has long been the breadbasket of Europe, going back to ancient Greece.
Russia has always coveted ownership of Ukraine. For grain and for a warm water seaport.
After several failed attempts, Catherine the Great was the first Russian ruler to successfully invade Ukraine (Crimea), in 1783.
Russia has considered Ukraine to be its rightful territory ever since.
Putin is merely taking back Russia's property.
Ukrainian people asked Russian tsar Alexis to be their ruler in 1654. Crimea always was a part of Ottoman Empire. In XVIII century Russian Empire captured and annexed Crimea. Then it was a part of Russian Federation. In 1954 Khrushchev transferred Crimea to Ukrainian SSR.