[B][i]Naturally Russia is not happy with the turnout of the Ukrainian revolution.[/b] The way it sees it, a violent nationalist opposition overthrew the pro-Russian majority elected President of their close neighbor and ally. As a result a significant (ethnically and politically Russian) segment of the Ukrainian population now finds itself without due representation in government. In response Crimea, a historically and ethnically Russian region, declared autonomy from the "usurper" government in Kiev. A new government that through both action and rhetoric has shown that it is both volatile and not opposed to using violence to silence its pro-Russian opposition, something that they themselves condemned when it suited them. [B]The Crimean administration has requested Russian troops stationed in Ukraine for protection from an otherwise likely attempts by the Kiev government to violently put down the Crimean revolt until the situation stabilizes.[/b][/I]

Putin isn't "on the wrong side of history", he's doing his duty as President of Russia: Protecting the Russian people. If the Russians in Crimea are threatened by the new government and ultranationalist thugs alike, you can not Russia to wait until it's too late to intervene. Neither side wants a war, Russia is being very watchful of what it does and is not out to annex the any or all of Crimea/Eastern Ukraine/Ukraine. The Russians are preventing the new "Democratic" government from silencing the Pro-Russian opposition by force so that it actually has to negotite with a group of people that wants changes Kiev doesn't like.