What is in the Ukraine that Russia wants???????

NATO not in it. That's the only thing Russia wants in Ukraine.

Natural resources.

Cossacks. Russia fears independent, freedom loving Cossacks, the Bravehearts of the East.

Watch or read "And Quiet Flows the Don." This story also addresses the Turks, against which Russia has always sought a buffer.

Ukraine is a democracy with freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Putin would be gone in a heartbeat if Russia had those.

Are you serious?  Trying to find an education about a serious subject here on a board full of full-blown idiots? You really are dumber than you look.

Putin wants NATO to promise never to accept Ukraine (or Georgia and Moldova) as members as well as limit or halt deployments in Eastern and Southern Europe of new US medium-range missiles.

If this doesn't happen, USA will get to play war again and therefore legitimize its huge military budget, Russia will still take Ukraine, win-win for both sides.

The big loser here would be Ukraine, that got fooled again into thinking, that the West has the best interest of Ukrainian people at heart.

Lebensraum im sud.

On one hand you bash the US for "legitimizing it's huge military budget", then on the other hand you say the west (which would include the US) doesn't have the Ukraine's interest at heart.

So which is it? Should the US step in if Russia attacks or not? We know no one in Europe will without us.

Russia wants democracy and West-leaning nations to fail. 

That's 80% of it. If democracy and West-leaning succeeds in Ukraine, an Arab-Spring sort of thng could sweep across the former soviet union and even into Russia itself, toppling Putin. 

So Putin's job #1 is to cause chaos and civil unrest in Ukraine. Then Putin can point to Ukraine and tell his people and the oligarchs....'Democracy? You want this dumpster fire? I'm no angel but I'll keep law and order.' 

The 'good' news it that Putin can cause plenty of chaos without invading. 

The women, according to jamin.

NATO can accept them as a member but not before Putin installs a puppet regime.

Russia is ruled by Oligarchs and Putin.  Some speculate that Putin is the richest man in the world.  His people are poor.  It is a huge threat to Putin to have a thriving and economically prosperous former country right next door.  What Putin fears is his own people uprising and overthrowing him and the Oligarchs.  When you know this it explains all his moves. 

Ya Russia wants to guarantee that NATO can't ever have more space right on the Russian border. Right now Russia has a buffer from NATO of multiple countries except for a small section of their border with Norway. If Ukraine becomes a NATO country that would be a large chunk of their border and Ukraine goes fairly deep into Russia compared to the other countries to the northwest.

I think this concern about NATO is taking Russian propaganda and believing it. 

Putin's not stupid - he knows NATO cannot and will not invade Russia. Esp in this era of missiles and airplanes and cyber. 

This is not a military thing. This is Putin trying to punish Ukraine for daring to have a democracy and leaning toward Europe politically. 

Putin's claim that a NATO threat is for domestic and international consumption.  His true fear is a thriving democracy that would cause his people to uprise and want change is Russia. 

so whats the difference between the US and Russia? Media controlled by elites? Power concentrated in a few hands? hmmmm

I think USA would have same reaction if Mexic or Canada decide to allow Russia or China to make military bases 

This is a glimmer of good news

MOSCOW, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Monday told President Vladimir Putin that some of the country's military drills had already ended and others were coming to a close.
Russia's joint exercises with ally Belarus and other drills near Ukraine have fanned fears Russia may be poised to invade Ukraine, something Moscow has repeatedly denied planning.